Archive for January, 2009
Acupressure for Health
January 31, 2009 Written by JPAcupressure is technique used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that is quite similar to acupuncture. Instead of needles, instruments or fingers apply direct pressure on specific points of the body in order to alleviate symptoms or to support various organs or systems of the body. Read more »
Tags: Pain, Pregnancy, Sleep
Posted in Alternative Therapies, Women's Health | 5 Comments & Updates
Natural Ingredients for a Healthier Smile
Written by JPA few weeks ago I wrote a column about xylitol’s beneficial effect on the health of teeth and gums. But there are many other natural extracts that you’ll probably see in oral care products in the coming years. Ironically, many of these natural substances are derived from sweet fruits. Today I’m going to present a brief overview of three up and coming natural ingredients that will soon be appearing in a toothpaste or mouthwash near you. Read more »
Tags: Cavities, Cranberries, Pomegranate
Posted in Alternative Therapies, Dental Health | 5 Comments & Updates
Arthritis Myths
January 30, 2009 Written by JPThis past week, I learned of two new studies that question a few common misconceptions about arthritis. I thought it would be important to share these with you, as some of you may be avoiding these resources due to incomplete information. Read more »
Tags: Arthritis, Chondroitin
Posted in Alternative Therapies, Bone and Joint Health, Nutritional Supplements | 1 Comment
Planning for Success
January 28, 2009 Written by JPYesterday, a friend of mine commented on how his new diet was derailed by some unexpected circumstances. He went on to describe a number of stressful events that made it difficult for him to acquire healthy food. Well, that’s his story and he’s sticking to it. But if you’re anything like me, you probably aren’t buying the story my friend’s selling. At least not 100% of it. So this would be a good opportunity for me to share some simple tips that have kept me on the right track to good health.
Posted in Diet and Weight Loss, Mental Health, Recipes | 4 Comments & Updates
Women’s Health Alternatives
January 27, 2009 Written by JPToday I have two news items for the ladies (and all the men who love them). First I want to take on a condition that severely affects the quality of life for many women. After that, I’m going to provide new information about how women can help avoid an all too common killer. Read more »
Tags: Breast Cancer, Fibromyalgia, Vitamin D
Posted in Alternative Therapies, Food and Drink, Women's Health | 9 Comments & Updates
Aerobic and Resistance Exercise
Written by JPDo you exercise? Are you planning on starting an exercise program? In either case, you’ll want to exercise in the most efficient way possible. In today’s blog, I’ll provide some new research that may help you construct a more effective exercise regime. Read more »
Posted in Exercise | 13 Comments & Updates
Movie Review – Burn After Reading
January 26, 2009 Written by JPBurn After Reading is a new comedy by Joel and Ethan Coen. The Coen brothers are a filmmaking duo that has enriched my life by making cinematic gems such as Raising Arizona, Miller’s Crossing, Fargo and No Country for Old Men. They’re also critical darlings, having been nominated for multiple Academy Awards and just about every other award you can think of. So it’s no surprise that they’re able to attract an impressive group of actors for all of their productions. This film is no exception. The cast of this film includes such heavy hitters as: George Clooney, John Malkovich, Brad Pitt, Tilda Swinton and Richard Jenkins (2009 Academy Award Nominee for Best Actor in The Visitor). Read more »
Posted in Movies | 2 Comments & Updates
A Low Carb Menu
January 24, 2009 Written by JPOne of the greatest gifts of the Internet is the ability to learn more about the lives of others. By writing this blog, I hope to not only provide scientific information that may be useful, but also a glimpse into some of the healthier practices of my life. Sometimes seeing how others apply health principles can help us to adopt similar concepts or even inspire us to improve upon the examples we see. Read more »
Tags: Low Carb, Vegetables
Posted in Diet and Weight Loss | 6 Comments & Updates
Health News Not in the News
January 23, 2009 Written by JPIt’s time to round up some nutritional odds and ends. I found three recent news items that didn’t seem to get much press coverage, but I thought you might still like to know about. Read more »
Tags: B Vitamins
Posted in Nutrition | 4 Comments & Updates
Magnesium and Health – Part 2
January 22, 2009 Written by JPYesterday, I highlighted some recent studies about the heart healthy effects of magnesium. Today I want to give you a sense of just how broad a range of conditions magnesium can impact. Read more »
Tags: Depression, Magnesium, Migraine
Posted in Alternative Therapies, Nutrition, Nutritional Supplements | 1 Comment
Magnesium and Health – Part 1
January 21, 2009 Written by JPThe most popular mineral of our current age is undoubtedly calcium. Almost everyone knows that calcium is essential to keep our bones and teeth strong. When we’re young, our parents often urge us to drink milk or fortified juices because of their calcium content. But there’s another macro-mineral (a “major” mineral that needs to be consumed in dosages of more than 100 mg per day) that often goes unnoticed. It’s so important that I want to devote two days to some of the recent findings about it. The mineral I’m referring to is magnesium.
The Heart of the Matter
It’s hard to find an organ or system that isn’t affected by magnesium. Magnesium plays a role in over 300 vital biochemical processes in our bodies. These processes range from the formation of our skeletal system to the ability to generate energy to the contraction of our muscles.
One of the areas in which magnesium plays a very important role is in relation to cardiovascular health. So today I want to highlight several recent studies on the benefits of magnesium in managing the health of the heart and circulatory system.
In November of 2008, a study was published in the Journal of Human Hypertension. In that study, 82 diabetic volunteers with high blood pressure were prescribed either a magnesium supplement (containing 450 mg of magnesium) or a placebo for a 4 month period. The ages of the participants ranged from 40 to 75 years of age.
The group receiving the magnesium had a significant decrease in their systolic and diastolic blood pressure (the top and bottom numbers). The magnesium supplementing group also experienced a rise in their HDL cholesterol levels (the “good” cholesterol). Both of these changes are consistent with improved heart health.
Another study published one month later offers some additional insights into the role of magnesium and the health of our hearts. This particular study was a review of 14 previous studies that measured the effects of drinking “hard water” on cardiovascular disease. Hard water is a source of water that is rich in minerals.
In total, this review utilized data on over 2,900 people. After pouring through all the data, the authors of the study concluded that they “found significant evidence of an inverse association between magnesium levels in drinking water and cardiovascular mortality”. In other words, higher levels of magnesium in drinking water led to lower rates of heart related deaths.
The two previous studies are powerful pieces of information. But they offer more of a preventive type of application for magnesium. One question that often comes up is whether magnesium has any role in more advanced cases of heart disease. In any such case, it’s obviously very important to work closely with a knowledgeable health care practitioner. And hopefully, such a practitioner will at least consider the role that magnesium could possibly play in an integrative approach to treatment. Here’s one example why:
A brand new study in the International Journal of Cardiology set out to determine whether a form of magnesium known as magnesium orotate could help manage the symptoms and improve the quality of life of patients with severe heart failure.
A total of 79 patients were split into 3 groups. One group received 6,000 mg of magnesium orotate. The second group received 3,000 mg of magnesium orotate. The final group was given a placebo. The trial took place over the course of 11 months. All of the patients in this study continued to use their prescribed medications and were closely monitored by their cardiologists.
After a year had passed, the researchers analyzed the data on the patients in the study. Here’s what they found:
- About 76% of the patients using the magnesium orotate were alive after one year.
- Only 52% of the placebo group survived one year.
- Those taking the magnesium also found a nearly 39% improvement in their symptoms. This indicates an improvement in the quality of life.
Because of these results, the authors suggest that magnesium orotate may be a useful addition to conventional therapy for severe congestive heart failure.
I just want to point out that magnesium orotate is a special form of the mineral. It’s thought to be well absorbed, but it’s also very bulky. In other other words, you typically need to take quite a bit of it in order to get a significant amount of elemental (actual) magnesium. It’s my understanding that most magnesium orotate supplements contain about 6-7% elemental magnesium. Based on that percentage, 6,000 mg of magnesium orotate would equal about 400 mg of actual magnesium (and the 3,000 mg dose would provide about 200 mg of magnesium).
Tomorrow, I’m going to focus on some other applications for magnesium supplementation. I’ll also list some of the best foods sources for this invaluable mineral.
Note: Please check out the “Comments & Updates” section of this blog – at the bottom of the page. You can find the latest research about this topic there!
Be well!
JP
Tags: Heart Health, Magnesium
Posted in Alternative Therapies, Nutrition, Nutritional Supplements | 4 Comments & Updates
White Tea – A Healthy Alternative
January 20, 2009 Written by JPEvery once in a awhile I’ll hear someone say that they really want to cut back on their coffee intake. If they mention that to me, I usually tell them one of two things: 1) A lot of recent research points to the overall health-promoting effect of coffee – for most people. 2) If they insist on wanting to cut back on coffee, I usually mention an alternate brew with a lower caffeine content, but with even more health benefits. And I’m not talking about green tea.
Tags: Cancer, Coffee, White Tea
Posted in Food and Drink, Heart Health, Mental Health | 2 Comments & Updates
Coconut Flour – The Other White Flour
Written by JPThe love of cakes, cookies and pastries is at the heart of many of our health and weight problems. Many dietitians and doctors have tried in earnest to get us to cut down on our sweet consumption. But that often doesn’t work. The draw of such sweet things is simply too great. Read more »
Tags: Coconut, Fiber, Gluten
Posted in Food and Drink, Nutrition, Recipes | 8 Comments & Updates