MAGNESIUM—THE ANTI-STRESS MINERAL!!

MAGNESIUM…The Anti-Stress Mineral
By Charles Poliquin

Sleep better, be less fatigued, make your brain work better, get rid of stress, and support your health with magnesium. And lose abdominal fat and have a leaner body composition. Magnesium is the answer!

Certainly one of the most important nutrients needed by the human body, magnesium is involved in all of these issues, as well as at least 300 essential biochemical reactions, including protein synthesis, testosterone production, insulin sensitivity, calcium absorption, and regulation of the sympathetic nervous system. Plus, magnesium has been shown to enable the metabolism of vitamin D, meaning it is essential for bone health and treatment of osteoporosis.

Three things you should know about magnesium to begin are:

First, Americans are chronically deficient in magnesium and this pattern of scarcity is evident across the Western world.

Second, the standard test used by medical doctors for magnesium measures serum magnesium levels in the blood, but only about one percent of this mineral is found in the blood. Rather, about 66 percent is found in bone and 33 percent in skeletal and cardiac muscle. In order to effectively asses magnesium levels that reflect how it works in the body you need to test content in the red blood cells. It’s very common for individuals with serum magnesium lab results in the normal range to be deficient in magnesium.

Third, magnesium plays a role in physical performance and muscle function, meaning that athletes and recreational trainees are commonly deficient because strength training increases magnesium requirements. I present the many reasons you should make sure your magnesium levels measure up below with detailed research with MY TAKEAWAYS if you just want the quick tips. At the end you’ll find a link to a magnesium supplementation guide.

1. Sleep Better and Reduce Insomnia
Magnesium has a calming effect on the nervous system, meaning that if you are deficient your heart rate and sympathetic nervous system will be sent into overdrive. Additionally, lack of magnesium has shown to alter electrical activity in the brain, causing agitated sleep and frequent awakenings.

A recent study of people with poor sleep quality as measured with the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index found that taking a magnesium supplement decreased chronic inflammatory stress levels and improved sleep quality. Researchers suggest that adding magnesium to their diets decreased the participants’ sympathetic nervous activity, effectively reducing stress and allowing them to relax. Take note that in this study, lower magnesium levels were also associated with a higher body mass index, indicating the connection between body fat percentage and magnesium levels.

A second study supported the relationship between low magnesium levels, sleep deprivation, sympathetic nervous system stimulation, and elevated heart rate response to exercise. Participants were chronically sleep restricted and it was found that a decrease in magnesium levels coincided with increasing levels of sleep deprivation. At the same time, norephinephrine concentration increased—an indication of sympathetic nervous stimulation—which was suggested as the reason for the diminishing magnesium levels. Meanwhile, heart rate was elevated after a fatiguing exercise test, lending support to the connection between los magnesium, high stress, and anxiety.

MY TAKEAWAY: Take Magnesium to help you sleep restfully throughout the night and de-stress.

2. Improve Brain Function and Fight Depression
Magnesium is essential for a great memory. Supplementing with magnesium has been shown to increase brain function by improving brain electrical activity, meaning elevated learning and memory functions. This has implications for depression and a chronic low mood as well. Magnesium plays a major role in neurotransmitter release, which affects the discharge of brain chemicals such as serotonin that makes you feel good.

Research from MIT has shown that magnesium regulates a key receptor in the brain that supports memory and learning. Adequate magnesium content in the cerebrospinal fluid is essential for maintaining the plasticity of synapses. Further, magnesium is necessary for the proper activity of many enzymes within brain cells that control cellular and memory functions.

MY TAKEAWAY: Magnesium makes your brain work better and improves memory!

3. Raise Testosterone Levels and Build Muscle
Magnesium is necessary for energy metabolism and physical performance and new research shows that taking it increases testosterone levels. A 2011 study tested a group of sedentary men who received 10 mg of magnesium per kilogram of body weight a day (Group 1), a group of male tae kwon do athletes taking the same magnesium protocol daily (Group 2), and a group of tae kwon do athletes who did not take magnesium (Group 3). Group 2 had the greatest increases in testosterone levels after tae kwon do practice, followed by Group 3, while Group 1 had the lowest levels (no practice or exercise), indicating that magnesium supplementation raises testosterone levels when combined with exercise. This suggests that adequate magnesium in the body not only increase testosterone when training but also has a performance-enhancing effect.

MY TAKEAWAY: If you’re not taking magnesium you’re missing out on the greatest testosterone response and leaving muscle gains on the table.

4. Get Stronger and Maximize Protein Synthesis
Magnesium supports protein synthesis because it enables enzyme function in the body. Additionally, research shows that magnesium supplementation paired with resistance exercise can make your stronger. This study found that a group that took eight mg per kilogram of body weight a day of magnesium while strength training three times a week, improved strength significantly more than a control group that only trained. Researchers suggest that magnesium plays a role at the ribosomal level in protein synthesis, and taking it while strength training leads to significant strength and muscle mass gains.

MY TAKEAWAY: Optimal magnesium levels are necessary for muscle development.

5. Decrease Inflammation: Improve Heart Health
Inflammation is not only an obstacle to recovery from hard workouts; it also contributes to heart disease, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, and diabetes. A study by George Washington University found that magnesium deficiency led to increased inflammation in the body, affecting blood vessels, cardiovascular, and intestinal tissues. Cardiovascular tissue inflammation can lead to heart disease because it increases oxidative stress, while intestinal inflammation causes digestive disorders.

Magnesium deficiency also decreases lipid metabolism and increases blood pressure, negatively impacting the health of the arteries and ultimately causing atherosclerosis. Research shows that adding magnesium to the diet in the form of 365 mg magnesium twice daily for six months can reduce the likelihood of experiencing exercise-induced chest pain. Research participants had previously experienced chest pain before the study. Taking magnesium also allowed them to improve exercise duration by 14 percent over a control group.

MY TAKEAWAY: Magnesium is critical for cardiovascular health because it decreases inflammation.

6. Get Stronger Bones: Prevent Osteoporosis
Calcium is necessary for stronger bones, but it does nothing if you don’t have adequate levels of magnesium and vitamin D. Magnesium activates cellular enzyme activity, allowing the body to convert vitamin D into its active form to help with calcium absorption and bone building. Magnesium leads to the release of the hormone calcitonin, which helps to preserve bone structure and draws calcium out of the blood and soft tissues and back into the bones. Plus, magnesium suppresses parathyroid hormone, which breaks bone down.

Research studies point to the importance of the calcium to magnesium ratio (ideally in the 1:1 range), and the integrated role of vitamin D and magnesium in bone health. Support for the relationship between these two minerals was from research that found that giving a vitamin D supplement to obese women who are deficient in both vitamin D and magnesium resulted in an increase in magnesium concentrations. Interestingly, for non-obese women with the same deficiencies and supplementation, magnesium concentrations increased but not significantly.

MY TAKEAWAY: Your calcium supplement is useless without adequate magnesium. Combine calcium and magnesium in equal doses… and don’t forget the vitamin D.

7. Improve Insulin Sensitivity: Prevent Diabetes
Low magnesium levels will decrease your insulin sensitivity, making it harder for you to lose fat and get lean. It will also hamper the body’s storage of glycogen, meaning a longer recovery from workouts. Also, increased insulin resistance and poorly controlled diabetes results in more magnesium loss, magnifying the whole problem.

A review from the journal Biological Trace Element Research reports that magnesium plays an important role in carbohydrate metabolism, while influencing the activity of hormones that control blood glucose levels. Low magnesium can cause insulin resistance, which may result in the kidneys being unable to retain magnesium during episodes of hyperglycemia, creating a downward spiral of magnesium deficiency and subsequently diabetes.

MY TAKEAWAY: Magnesium supports a lean body comp AND prevents diabetes.

8. Prevent Metabolic Syndrome: Magnesium and Pregnancy
Low magnesium levels are common in pregnant women and have been found to increase risk of the development of diabetes and metabolic syndrome in the child after birth. Metabolic syndrome is an inflammatory condition, and lack of magnesium results in a stress effect that activates the sympathetic nervous system, increasing oxidative stress and inflammation. Are you getting the point that all these health problems interact? Metabolic syndrome, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, elevated sympathetic activity, decreased sleep, and cortisol release (which I’ll get to in #9) are all inter-related.

MY TAKEAWAY: Magnesium deficiency in pregnant women can lead to diabetes and metabolic syndrome in the child.

9. Stress: Magnesium Necessary for Detox of Cortisol
Remember that magnesium affects the sympathetic nervous system and norepinephrine release, which causes cortisol release as part of your stress response. Magnesium is essential for the detoxification of cortisol as well and adequate levels help return you to more relaxed state.

MY TAKEAWAY: Magnesium supplementation lowers cortisol levels.

10. Digestion: Magnesium Deficiency Causes Constipation and Digestive-Related Diseases
There are a number of symptoms of magnesium deficiency including constipation, fatigue, irritability, insomnia, muscle tremors and twitching, and poor mental function. Normal digestion involves two to three soft bowel movements a day, but the average person has a hard bowel movement once every two days.

Studies shows that magnesium improves digestion and researchers suggest the beneficial effect of dietary fiber on a healthy gastrointestinal tract is due to its high magnesium content. An added benefit to faster transit time through the GI tract is to reduce the risk of disease including colon cancer and diabetes.

MY TAKEAWAY: Magnesium improves digestion and eliminates constipation. This lowers diabetes and colon cancer risk.

11. Treat ADHD and Hyperactivity
Studies of children with ADHD consistently point to low magnesium levels as a cause. Supplementing with magnesium has been shown to increase attention span, which researchers suggest is due both to its calming effects and the fact that it improves brain activity. A mere 200 mg daily will do the trick.

MY TAKEAWAY: Take magnesium to improve focus and decrease ADHD.

12. Abdominal Fat and Central Obesity: Waist Circumference Can Suggest Magnesium Deficiency
This may be the single most valuable point highlighting the essential role of magnesium in weight management: because of magnesium’s role in glucose regulation, insulin sensitivity, and its ability to decrease inflammation and anxiety, lower cortisol, improve HDL cholesterol levels, and stimulate protein synthesis, adequate levels are absolutely critical for a lean body.

Magnesium is particularly important in treating obesity, because extremely overweight individuals commonly have metabolic syndrome and chronic low-grade inflammation, which is magnified by typically low magnesium status. Additionally, research shows that high abdominal fat levels are related to excessive cortisol, low magnesium, and greater risk of all the related health issues listed above.

MY TAKEAWAY: Adequate magnesium is crucial for treating obesity and a lean body comp.

Lose weight, increase energy and relieve depression by boosting brain chemical dopamine – Here’s how to do it!

(NaturalNews) Increase energy, lose weight, feel happier and eliminate depression by raising the levels of the brain neurotransmitter dopamine with simple dietary changes.

Dopamine is naturally produced by the brain and controls the body’s movements, stimulates metabolism and proper body weight, supports the circulatory system and governs the brain’s information flow. Too little dopamine in the system is responsible for a lack of response in an individual, deadening the ability to feel emotion and creating a sense of indifference. In addition, low dopamine levels slow the metabolism, contributing to weight gain, low energy, sluggishness and depression. Too little dopamine can cause unwanted bodily movements, jerking, twitching and slurred speech. Proper levels of dopamine are necessary to prevent conditions such as Parkinson’s disease. In the right amounts, dopamine encourages weight loss and helps the body maintain its proper weight.

Foods that boost metabolism and restore dopamine levels
It’s important to maintain proper dopamine levels to enable an individual to experience their feelings of pleasure and have the ability to generate the energy to live life. Adequate dopamine raises the body’s energy levels and increases metabolism promoting weight loss and well being. A variety of foods can help boost metabolism while increasing the body’s ability to function at its optimal level.

· Proteins are high in amino acids which contribute to the production of chemicals that stimulate dopamine in the brain. Foods such as eggs, fish, poultry and red meats are all high in protein and great for increasing metabolism. Fish in particular, is high in protein and contains healthy Omega 3 fatty acids, which contribute to increased brain function. The best proteins are those that are organic and do not contain antibiotics, hormones or pesticides.

· Red beets restore dopamine levels and produce a sense of well being. Beets contain the amino acid betaine, which acts like an antidepressant, creating feelings of pleasure and joy.

· Apples boost brain power and help with weight loss. Apples are high in quercitin, a potent antioxidant, and may help prevent neurodegenerative diseases and stimulate dopamine production.

· Drink a daily dose of watermelon juice, which is high in vitamin B-6, an important nutrient for dopamine production

· Foods containing folate help the brain produce more dopamine. Good sources of folate are found in most leafy green vegetables, broccoli, cauliflower, lentils, garbanzo beans, black beans, and papaya. Plant sources of folate must be eaten raw to provide enough folate as a nutrient source.

Amino acids, vitamins and herbs boost metabolism by raising dopamine levels in the brain
· Tyrosine is the main amino acid that triggers dopamine production in the brain. Foods high in tyrosine are bananas, strawberries, blueberries and prunes.

· Include a multivitamin containing vitamins B, C and E to help produce additional dopamine supplies in the brain, notes Franklin Institute’s, “Science Learning” website

· According to Blessed Maine Herbs, certain herbs are recommended to help the brain produce higher amounts of dopamine, such as fenugreek, ginkgo biloba, Indian ginseng, red clover, nettles, dandelion and peppermint. In particular, green tea contains polyphenols, which can increase dopamine output. These can be taken as supplements or consumed as herbal teas. Because herbs may cause side effects, it is necessary to use care when adding them to any health plan. An herbal practitioner should be consulted for directions how to use herbs and in what dose.

Sluggishness and lack of energy may indicate a serious disease in addition to low dopamine levels. If symptoms continue or do not respond to dietary changes or increased supplementation, see a health practitioner.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/036986_dopamine_brain_chemical_metabolism.html#ixzz2EgHQIOXr

20 Benefits of Walking!!

1. Helps with Weight Management

2. It’s Accessible to Everyone

3. Doesn’t Require Special Equipment

4. One of the Easiest Ways to Get More Active

5. Reduces Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety

6. It’s a Low Impact Exercise

7. Lowers Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL)
Cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol)

8. Raises High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) Cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol)

9. Lowers Blood Pressure

10. Reduces the Risk of Some Cancers

11. Helps Reduce Risk adn Aids with the Management of Type 2 Diabetes

12. Improves Mood

13. Helps Maintain Strong Bones

14. Reduces the Risk of Heart Attack

15. Less Likely to Lead to Injuries

16. Reduces Stress

17. Reduces Risk of Heart Disease

18. You Don’t Have to Pay For It

19. Builds Aerobic Fitness

20. Helps Maintain Lean Muscle

Walking Your Way Into Better Health Every Step Of The Way!!!!

from MotiveWeight.Blogspot.com

Testimonials from Doctors on the Efficacy of Bowen Therapy:

 

Testimonials from Doctors on the Efficacy of Bowen Therapy:
Bowen Therapy is not meant to replace medical treatment. However, due to its success, more and more
members of the medical profession continue to be amazed at its effectiveness and have begun to add Bowen
Therapy to their practice or refer their patients to a professional Bowen Therapist. Listen to what they had to say
about Bowen Therapy:
- Dr. JoAnne Whitaker, M.D. – “I was facing a hip replacement and back surgery when I discovered the Bowen
Technique. After receiving Bowen treatments, not only was I able to walk, but I went back to playing golf…
without surgery. I was so impressed that I flew to Australia to train in the Bowen Technique and now treat
patients with ailments ranging from bunions to heart disease.
- Audrey Butko M.D. – “I consider the Bowen Technique to be a blessing in my practice because of its
simplicity, results and patient satisfaction. It has nearly eliminated my need to use cortisone injections.”
- Dr. Michael Buckmann -”Clients who present with both acute and chronic pain, having often sought treatment
in vain from a variety of other experts and specialists, are consistently free of their problems within a very short
time by using Bowen. In fact, most clients require only 2 or 3 sessions to achieve long term benefits.”
- Mitchell R. Mosher, DPM – “The Bowen Technique is one of the most powerful physical medicine techniques
I have learned in 24 years as a podiatrist. I routinely use the Bowen Technique to complement treatment of
various foot and ankle injuries.”
- Gerry Townsend, M.D. – “I offer the Bowen Technique to acute and chronic patients who have not responded
to traditional treatment for myofascial pain syndrome, back pain, fibromyalgia, arthritis or fractures. Although
skeptical at first, C.S. Whitman, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon, now regularly refers patients to Dr. Townsend’s
program.”
- J. T., M.D., Physician, Medical Researcher, Biotechnology Company – “I have noted improvement in stressrelated
muscle pain and tension, joint pain and posture. Bowen Therapy sessions may benefit people with
musculo-skeletal pain as well as other stress related symptoms.Much to my surprise, my neck pain got resolved
through this work. I am very pleased with the results and quite amazed!”
- L. White. MD – Physician, former Professor of Cardiology -“This body work has been enormously beneficial
in allowing me to feel freer, less constricted, more mobile and better aligned. I highly recommend Bowen
Therapy.”
- Dr Robert Flemming MD – “After over 30 years of medical practice, I am finding the Bowen Technique the
most effective and efficient hands-on procedure I’ve ever studied. I fully recommend this technique to all health
practitioners.”
- Dr. Ted Sleigh – “Of all the modalities I have used, Bowen Therapy has helped so many of my patients that I
would never want to give it up.”
- Dr. Christine Staub – “As a board-certified family physician with a special interest in the treatment of chronic
illness and pain syndromes, I am thrilled to have Bowen Therapy as a resource for myself, family, friends and
patients.”
- Oscar C. Weitzberg, Rockville, MD -”Two chronic problems cleared up after a few Bowen sessions three
months ago. As far back as I can remember, I tended toward constipation. After eighty-five years of laxatives,
enemas, and suppositories, I’m now regular — even without Metamucil. My sinus condition began in the early
1950s. After the doctor’s initial treatments with iodine, I irrigated my sinuses with saline solution for about ten
years, then used Neosynephrine for thirty years, and finally used Nasacor daily for ten years. Since the Bowen,
my sinuses are clear without any medication.”
- Dr. Fred Menier – “I have been able to notice results even in
chronic situations such as rheumatism, TMJ, chronic asthma and emotional depression.”

 

What Can I expect from a CranioSacral Therapy Session??

Central nervous system (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A typical CranioSacral Therapy session takes place in a quiet, private setting.  You remain fully clothed as you relax on a comfortable, padded table.

Your therapist begins by gently touching various parts of your body to monitor the rhythm of the fluid that is flowing around your central nervous system.

By carefully listening with the hands to locate areas of weak fluid flow or tissue motion, your practioner can trace those areas of weakness through the body to the original source of dysfunction.

Delicate manual techniques are then used to release those problem areas and improve the form and function of your central nervous system.

A CranioSacral Therapy session can last up to an hour or more.  It can be used alone or integrated with other therapies to create powerful effects.

What you experience from your own session is highly individual.  The sessions are generally deeply relaxing, creating feelings of warmth or gentle pulsing in the areas the therapist is working on.

Natural and Safe for ALL ages to help many different issues and concerns.

 

The Four Happiness Neurotransmitters and Your Brain

Mesolimbic dopaminergic and serotonergic pathways. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If your high in Seritonin, you’re positive, confident, flexible, and easy going.

If you’re sinking in Seritonin, you’ll tend to become negative, obsessive, worried irritable, ad sleepless.

If you’re high in Catecholamines (norepinephrin, dopamine, and adrenalin are in this group), you’re energized, upbeat, and alert.

If your Catecholamines have crashed, you can sink into a flat, lethargic funk.

If you’re high in GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), you’re relaxed and stress-free.

If there’s a gap in your GABA, you’ll be wired, stressed, and overwhelmed.

If you’re high in Endorphins, you’re full of cozy feelings of comfort, pleasure, and euphoria.

If you’re near the end of your Endorphins, you may be crying during commercials and overly sensative to hurt.

from the Mood Cure, by Julia Ross

What Conditions Does CranioSacral Therapy Address?

Regions of the brain affected by PTSD and stress. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

CranioSacral Therapy improves your body’s ability to take better care of you.  It helps relieve a full spectrum of pain, illness and dysfunction, including:

-Migraines and Headaches

-Chronic Neck and Back Pain

-Stress and Tension-Related Disorders

-Motor-Coordination Impairments

-Infant and Childhood Disorders

-Chronic Fatigue

-Fibromyalgia

-TMJ Syndrome

-Scoliosis

-Central Nervous System Disorders

-Learning Disabilities

-ADD/ADHD

-Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

-Orthopedic Problems

-And many more Conditions

After a serious head trauma CranioSacral Therapy helped re-balance my cerebrospinal fluid and relieve the pain and pressure it was causing and helped my pathways in my brain to heal and correct helping me be able to heal effectively.  Was labeled with Post traumatic Stress Disorder and Bowen and Cranial helped me heal.  ( and so much more) Sherry Barrett