Magnesium Deficiencies

A lot of our health problems are caused by a deficiency in Magnesium.

12 Common Magnesium Deficiency Symptoms:

1. Anxiety
2. Weak Bones
3. Low Energy
4. Weakness
5. Inability to Sleep
6. PMS and Hormonal Imbalances
7. Irritability
8. Nervousness
9. Headaches
10. Abnormal Heart Rhythm
11. Muscle Tension, Spasms, Cramps
12. Fatigue

Additional Conditions/Diseases Associated with Magnesium Deficiency:

Much research has found that individuals with magnesium deficiency are at an increased risk for developing diabetes, high blood pressure, Parkinson’s, kidney stones, and restless legs syndrome, just to name a few.

How to Increase Your Magnesium:

There are several ways you can increase your magnesium:

1. Add Epsom salts to your bath or make a foot bath. Magnesium is highly absorbed through the skin (transdermally).

2. Apply magnesium Lotion 

3. Eat foods high in magnesium – such as leafy green vegetables and nuts. 

4. Take a magnesium supplement.

What is the difference between a Masticating and a Centrifugal juicer?

Centrifugal juicers are more commonplace, and in general, more affordable. They typically have an upright design in which food is pushed into a rapidly spinning mesh chamber with sharp teeth on its floor. The teeth shred the food into a pulp, and the centrifugal motion pulls the juice out of the pulp and through the mesh filter, where it is funneled out of the juicer via a spigot. In most centrifugal juicers, the pulp, once most of the juice has been pulled out, is ejected into a separate collection chamber. Centrifugal juicers work best with soft and hard fruits and vegetables, but not quite as well with leafy greens like kale or spinach, or with wheatgrass. 

 Masticating juicers, meanwhile, typically have a horizontal design in which a tube containing the auger extends out of the motorized base. Pieces of fruits and vegetables are pushed into the top of the tube, and they are crushed and squeezed by the auger. Juice drains out of the underside of the tube, while the pulp is squeezed out at the end of the tube. Because of the slower crushing and squeezing action, masticating juicers can process leafy greens and wheatgrass, and the juice that they produce will last much longer than juice made in a centrifugal juicer, which should be consumed right away as it starts losing nutrients nearly immediately.

 

The Top Health Benefits of Walking

I feel my best when I walk every day. Its hard some days to make myself do it, especially when the weather is too hot, too cold, raining, etc , etc. Too many excuses ! I have never walked then regretted it....not once. Quite the opposite, I always feel very glad I put my shoes on and went for that 30 min walk. I have a great 15 year old son who really encourages me to walk. Try to find someone like that, someone who will get on you to walk every single day no matter what. And you will find it so easy to increase how long you walk once you get into a regular routine. 

Walking. This is perhaps the most basic form of exercise available. It's something that mostly everyone can do, that's low impact and that's entirely pleasant. And as it happens it has immense health benefits once you start making a proper habit of it.
Introducing Walking to Your Routine

All of us walk from time to time already. Chances are you will walk at least some of the way on your journey to work (even if it's just to the tube station) and you're also likely to walk on occasion when you visit the shops or when you're looking for a way to pass the time for an afternoon.
But to get the full health benefits of walking you need to do it regularly and with purpose. Even if you only walk for fifteen minutes a day you'll see marked improvements in your overall health but the more you can get the more pronounced the benefits will be. The good news is that there are plenty of ways you can easily introduce this kind of walking into your routine too – park a little way away from the shops, get off one stop early when you ride the bus home from work, or just wake up fifteen minutes earlier and have a morning stroll while it's nice and quiet. These are simple changes that will bring you great health benefits.
And what benefits they are… Here are just a few to hopefully pique your interest in walking…
Health Benefits of Walking
Fitness: Walking might not be anywhere near as intensive as jogging but it can still have a very good impact on your health if you walk far enough, often enough and fast enough. Studies show that regularly walking can help to lower your chances of heart disease or stroke, can decrease bad (LDL) cholesterol and boost the good cholesterol. It can also help you to lose weight and to improve your overall fitness by burning energy and increasing your heart rate.
Unlike some other forms of cardiovascular exercise however, walking does not place too much strain on your body. It's unlikely to trigger any kind of attach, it doesn't jar your knees or lead to shin splints and it's unlikely to lead to injury.
Creativity: Walking has been demonstrated to help encourage creative thinking and to promote the generation of good ideas. This has been shown in a number of studies and in one it was shown that even being pushed in a wheelchair through a scenic park would be less beneficial for your creative juices than walking on a treadmill in front of a blank wall. In other words, these experiments demonstrate that it really is the actual act of walking that boosts this creativity and not the scenery (though other studies have shown that nice scenery can do that too!).
Walking has other cognitive benefits too and some studies have shown that it can help to prevent dementia. This is true of any physical activity and it turns out that regular walking (six miles a week plus) is sufficient to tap into those benefits.
Mood: Walking is great for your mood resulting in the release of mood boosting hormones and neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine similar to running.
At the same time you will also find your mood improves from being outdoors, particularly thanks to the sun. This is a good way to combat 'SAD' or 'Seasonal Affective Disorder' as the nights start getting longer.
Bone Health: Just as the sun can do wonders for your mood, so too can it help to strengthen your bones. That's because sunlight stimulates our body to produce more vitamin D which in turn regulates the absorption of calcium and phosphorous.
Further to this, walking also helps to prevent osteoporosis because it is a 'weight bearing activity'. In other words, it places pressure on our bones which stimulates them to increase their density. This is particularly important as you get older and your bones are liable to becoming more brittle.
Toning: Just as walking is sufficient to provide a basic cardio workout, it's also enough to give you some basic muscle toning benefits. The areas that stand to benefit most are the legs, bum and tum (women rejoice!) and especially if you decide to take a hike uphill.
On top of these areas though, walking is also useful for toning your arms and shoulders as these move too during your strolls. Take a look at the shoulders of Usain Bolt and you'll see just what the piston motion of the arms can do for you – though you'll see a much smaller change from lightly walking compared with Usain Bolt!
So there you have it, there are plenty of great reasons to go for a regular stroll and when you weigh the small amount of effort against the huge number of rewards it's hard for anyone to make a case against walking. What's your excuse? 

Adam Sinicki

Adam Sinicki is a full time writer who spends most of his time in the coffee shops of London. Adam has a BSc in psychology and is an amateur bodybuilder with a couple of competition wins to his name. His other interests are self improvement, general health, transhumanism and brain training. As well as writing for websites and magazines, he also runs his own sites and has published several books and apps on these topics. He lives in London, England with his girlfriend and in his spare time he enjoys climbing, travelling, playing games, reading comics and eating sandwiches.

How to Naturally Treat Shingles

Shingles can be really painful. They are characterized as viral infections that can lead to rash with blisters. Shingles can occur anywhere on the body and usually in children or young adults. Most of the time shingles appear on the right or left side of your torso as a single stripe.
The main cause for shingles is the varicella-zoster virus. It is the same virus that causes chickenpox, but doesn’t necessarily appear the same time as the original infection. It can happen decades after that. If you’ve had chickenpox, most likely you still have the virus. It lies inactive in your body and may be reactivated as shingles.
Can shingles kill you?
Fortunately shingles are not life-threatening, but they can cause a lot of pain and discomfort. The first time is always the most painful. The risk can be reduced with a vaccine, but it is best to treat it naturally in the early stages.

Natural Treatment

Appropriate treatment can lead to a short-lived outbreak. Just like normal herpes, this virus too thrives in people that have weak immune system, particularly if the ratio of L-arginine to L-lysine amino acids in a person is not appropriate. Since these amino acids come from foods, it is best to treat shingles through an appropriate diet. If your arginine levels are higher, the virus will thrive.
Eat More Foods with Lysine
Lysine rich foods are Asparagus, beans, green, pineapples, avocados, apricots, pears, apples, eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, fish and all meats.
Avoid Foods with Arginine
Sugars, chocolate, peanuts, blueberries, blackberries, pecan, pumpkin seeds, grapes, cashews, Brussels sprouts, wheat germ and tomatoes.

Capsaicin
You can get the capsaicin compound from eating cayenne or chili pepper. It helps reduce the pain generated from shingles by blocking the pain signals from the nerves. You can get capsaicin through ointments. Apply the ointment on your shingles spots 4-5 times daily.
Cat’s Claw Extract
Find this extract and take 1,000 milligrams three times a day. It has anti-inflammatory and antiviral actions.
Garlic
If you want the best antiviral properties, consume garlic. You can also take garlic extract in the form of capsules. Take 2 capsules twice a day. However, it is best to mince garlic cloves and introduce them to your favorite dish.
Lemon balm
Also known as melissa, the lemon balm has anti-herpes properties due to the compounds known as polyphenols. Some say that this is the best herbal treatment for shingles. Apply lemon balm tea on your spots by mixing 2-4 teaspoons per coup in boiling water.
Reishi Mushroom Extract
This extract stimulates immune system and helps fight infections. 500 milligrams three times a day are enough to fight this herpes virus.

Source: Daily Nutrition News

High Cost of Energy Drinks

Study Shows Energy Drinks Can Be Harmful

 (NaturalNews) It seems energy can be found everywhere these days. Energy in a can, energy in a cup, energy in a bottle. . .Wherever it is, people are looking for it because, well, we seem to be lacking it. Generally speaking, synthetic energy enhancement can have some long-term health consequences, one of which is a dependence on whatever substance it is that's giving you that extra boost. In fact, new research from Wayne State University says that one of the most popular - and easy to find - energy enhancers can pose health risks to people with heart conditions: energy drinks.

I'm sure you've seen these energy drinks. According to researchers, popular energy drinks like Red Bull cause the heart rate to race at rates dangerous for people with heart conditions like heart disease.

 Researchers found that within four hours of drinking various energy drinks, the 15 participants' blood pressure rates and heart rates increased approximately 10 percent for the systolic rate, 8 percent for the diastolic rate and heart rates increased 11 percent. Researchers note that these levels are of little importance for healthy young adults (the average age of participants was 26) but these kinds of levels can be serious for people with heart conditions. One researcher said that these results can be "clinically significant" for those who take medication to treat their heart condition as energy drinks may adversely affect heart medications' effectiveness. And while these energy drinks are often used when performing activities that require focus, heart rates increased for these participants while sedentary; such as while watching movies.

 In short, researchers advise anyone who has a heart condition to avoid energy drinks until further research is done. But you really ought to avoid these energy drinks altogether. They're loaded with caffeine, which has been linked to cancer, cardiovascular problems, extreme mood swings and dependence.

So, how do you boost your energy levels naturally? Perhaps the easiest way is to get more sleep. Granted, we all have busy schedules, but you really need at least eight hours of sleep a night to ensure that you're ripe, ready, refreshed and raring to go for the week ahead. Another way is by exercising more frequently, which has been shown to fight fatigue and boost energy levels. You can also take Omega-3 and CoQ10 supplements. These supplements enhance the fatty acids and enzymes that are already in your body. In fact, when you feel like your energy levels are especially low, it may be because your coenzyme levels are so low. A CoQ10 supplement is exactly what you need in such a situation.

 Another easy way to increase energy levels is to eat breakfast. Not eating breakfast has been directly correlated with those who feel lethargic throughout the day. The best breakfast combines complex carbohydrates (e.g. whole grain, 100 percent whole wheat bread) with quality proteins that have essential amino acids 

It's not rocket science, it's just a matter of being considerate of your health and what it takes to stay energized - the natural way.

 

About the author

Frank Mangano is an American author, health advocate, researcher and entrepreneur in the field of alternative health. He is perhaps best known for his book "The Blood Pressure Miracle," which continues to be an Amazon best selling book. Additionally, he has published numerous reports and a considerable amount of articles pertaining to natural health.
Mangano is the publisher of Natural Health On The Web, which offers readers free and valuable information on alternative remedies. To learn more visit:
http://www.naturalhealthontheweb.com

The Amazing Benefits of Pink Himalayan Salt

With its  pink, rose-like color, Himalayan salt is visually distinctive and known for its  nutritional profile as it contains a high number of essential minerals. Himalayan salt is considered healthier than table salt because it does not contain any additives or chemicals, and is a naturally occurring substance.

Sea Salt and Detoxification

Himalayan salt has been used to help detoxify the body in the form of a brine treatment. Most commonly done in the form of a bath, brine baths purport to detoxify the body through osmosis. As the sodium binds the water to the outer layer of your skin, moisture is preserved. Toxins are released from your body, while your skin absorbs the healthy minerals from the sodium into your body. It is recommended that the brine bath be as close as possible to normal body temperature, around 97 degrees Fahrenheit, and that you use 2.2 lbs. of Himalayan salt for approximately every 26 to 32 gallons of water.

Sodium

Healthy body. Photo Credit Kraig Scarbinsky/Digital Vision/Getty Images

As a natural source of sodium, Himalayan salt provides an essential mineral for healthy bodily functions. Sodium helps to regulate blood volume and thus blood pressure, as well as helping to control muscle contractions, nerve transmissions and heart functions. Sodium can be found naturally in a number of foods, but it can also be consumed as added salt, as in the case of Himalayan salt. The daily recommended amount of sodium to be consumed daily is between 1500 mg and 2300 mg, for men and women between the ages of 9 and 50.

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Mineral Content and Consumption

Assorted coarse salts. Photo Credit Alberto Bogo/iStock/Getty Images

Himalayan salt is widely touted for its mineral content, containing 84 minerals in total. In addition to sodium, Himalayan salt is relatively high in iron, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, potassium and chloride. It also contains traces of boron, fluoride, iodine, zinc, selenium and copper, all of which are necessary for bodily health. As a naturally occurring salt, Himalayan salt contains all these minerals without chemical processing or refinement. Because it is harvested naturally, Himalayan salt’s mineral benefits are available regardless of what form the salt is consumed as. Himalayan salt is most commonly found as coarse grains, fine grains, or large blocks which can be used as serving platters that delicately “season” the food they serve.

By Marie Dannie, Livestrong.com

Magnesium, Your Health & Tinnitus

Calming Your Life & Tinnitus with Magnesium
by Barry Keate

Magnesium may be the most commonly deficient mineral in human nutrition. It is known as a calming or anti-stress mineral and is very important to many human functions. Magnesium is a mineral needed by every cell of the body. About half of the body’s stores are found inside cells of body tissues and organs, and half are combined with calcium and phosphorus in bone.
Only 1 percent of the magnesium in the body is found in the blood. The body works very hard to keep blood levels of magnesium constant. Because the body easily eliminates excess magnesium, toxicity is nearly unknown, although an excess can cause loose stools or diarrhea. Deficiency is quite common and can lead to muscle cramps, fatigue, irritability, and insomnia.
The key body functions of magnesium are:

• Relaxes the muscles, including the heart;
• Works in concert with enzymes to carry out metabolic functions, including protein synthesis, energy production, and neuromuscular function;
• Used for anxiety, high blood pressure, poor sleep, asthma attacks, menstrual and muscle cramps, and abnormal heartbeats.

Eat Your Green Veggies

Green vegetables such as spinach provide magnesium because the center of the chlorophyll molecule contains it. Nuts, seeds, and some whole grains are also good sources of magnesium. Although magnesium is present in many foods, it usually occurs in small amounts. As with most nutrients, daily needs for magnesium cannot be met from a single food. Eating a wide variety of foods, including five servings of fruits and vegetables daily and plenty of whole grains, helps to ensure an adequate intake of magnesium. The magnesium content of refined foods is usually low. Whole-wheat bread, for example, has twice as much magnesium as white bread because the magnesium-rich germ and bran are removed when white flour is processed.
Doctors will measure blood levels of magnesium whenever a deficiency is suspected. When levels are mildly depleted, increasing dietary intake of magnesium can help restore blood levels to normal. Eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily, and choosing dark-green leafy vegetables often, as recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the Food Guide Pyramid, and the Five-a-Day program, will help adults consume recommended amounts of magnesium. Magnesium tablets also may be prescribed, but some forms, in particular magnesium salts, can cause diarrhea. When in doubt, a doctor or qualified healthcare provider can recommend the best way to get extra magnesium when it is needed.

Protection of the Inner Ear

Magnesium also protects the nerves in the inner ear and is a powerful glutamate inhibitor. Glutamate is a neurotransmitter, produced by the action of sound waves on the hair cells of the inner ear. The unregulated production of glutamate at sound frequencies for which there is no external stimulation is the cause of tinnitus.
Dr. Michael Seidman, in his excellent article, “Medicines to Treat the Inner Ear” states; “Decreased blood supply causes significant stress to the nerve tissue (of the inner ear) by causing the production of free radicals. (Author’s note: The major causes of tinnitus all result in decreased blood supply.) These molecules are extremely damaging and are known to be responsible for over 100 human disorders. The accumulation of free radicals severely damages the inner ear and other tissues. Through a complex chain of events, this damage can then cause a release and accumulation of glutamate and calpains. These chemicals in high concentrations are extremely destructive to the body.
“Studies have shown that excessive glutamate may play a role in the production of tinnitus. Studies also show that glutamate antagonists can have a protective effect on the inner ear and possibly be a treatment for peripheral tinnitus, which is generated by the inner ear. Three such drugs are currently under investigation at the Henry Ford Health System for tinnitus, including magnesium.
“The protective effect of magnesium in preventing noise-induced hearing loss has been studied since it was found that magnesium in inner ear fluid decreases significantly after intense noise exposure. The results of one placebo-controlled study showed that subjects who took oral magnesium supplements displayed a significantly lower incidence of noise-induced hearing loss compared to the control group. In 1998 a highly motivated patient elected to undergo a catheter-delivered infusion of magnesium sulfate to the round window (of the inner ear). Within 60 seconds of the infusion, she experienced complete resolution of her tinnitus. This effect lasted until the flow of medication was discontinued 48 hours later.”(1) Another clinical trial of magnesium found that “Magnesium… exhibit(s) a statistically significant oto-neuro-protective action (inner ear protection) in noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus.”(2)

Blood Pressure Reduction

Several clinical trials show magnesium has a positive effect on reducing elevated blood pressure levels. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and stress are three of the primary aggravators of tinnitus. One study concludes, “Our meta-analysis detected dose-dependent blood pressure reductions from magnesium supplementation.”(3) Another found “. . .calcium and magnesium may represent important components in the combination diet of the DASH study. It seems that it is the combination of these nutrients that is of crucial importance for the achievement of optimal blood pressure reduction.”(4) Finally, a third study states, “These findings suggest that Magnesium supplementation prevents blood pressure elevation. . . “(5)
Magnesium is very helpful in combination with calcium. Dr. Seidman also states, “Calcium supplementation has been shown to improve tinnitus symptoms in certain patients. In conjunction with magnesium, calcium also plays a vital role in the regulation of electrical impulses in the central nervous system.”(6)
These products can be easily found on health food store shelves and are quite inexpensive. A recommended daily dosage is 400 mg of magnesium and 1,000 mg of calcium. Magnesium can be taken in therapeutic doses of up to 600 mg daily. Because magnesium causes smooth muscle relaxation, it can loosen the bowels. If this happens, reduce the dosage a little.

**** If you eat the right foods, there is no need to take Magnesium Supplements. See Photo above