Magnesium: A mineral all scoliosis sufferers need to know

From recent abstract

Long-term moderate magnesium-deficient diet shows relationships
between blood pressure, inflammation and oxidant stress defense in
aging rats.

* Blache D,
* Devaux S,
* Joubert O,
* Loreau N,
* Schneider M,
* Durand P,
* Prost M,
* Gaume V,
* Adrian M,
* Laurant P,
* Berthelot A.

INSERM U 498, Biochimie des Lipoproteines, Dijon, F-21079, France;
Faculte de Medecine, Universite de Bourgogne, Dijon, F-21079, France.

Epidemiological and experimental studies have indicated a relationship
among aging, dietary Mg, inflammatory stress, and cardiovascular
disease. Our aim in the present study was to investigate possible
links between dietary Mg, oxidant stress parameters, and inflammatory
status with aging in rats. We designed a long-term study in which rats
were fed for 22 months with moderately deficient (150 mg/kg), standard
(800 mg/kg), or supplemented (3200 mg/kg) Mg diets. Comparisons were
made with young rats fed with the same diets for 1 month. Compared to
the standard and supplemented diets, the Mg-deficient diet
significantly increased blood pressure, plasma interleukin-6,
fibrinogen, and erythrocyte lysophosphatidylcholine, particularly in
aging rats, it decreased plasma albumin. The impairment of redox
status was indicated by increases in plasma thiobarbituric acid
reactive substances and oxysterols and an increased blood
susceptibility to in vitro free-radical-induced hemolysis. We
concluded that Mg deficiency induced a chronic impairment of redox
status associated with inflammation which could significantly
contribute to increased oxidized lipids and promote hypertension and
vascular disorders with aging. Extrapolating to the human situation
and given that Mg deficiency has been reported to be surprisingly
common, particularly in the elderly, Mg supplementation might be
useful as an adjuvant therapy in preventing cardiovascular disease.

Vegetable oils - Friend or Foe?

Vegetable oils such as canola oil, safflower oil, corn oil, soy oil etc. are very reactive to oxygen, and go rancid when heated even at low temperatures. Once oxidized, these fats cause free radical damage in our bodies, which has been linked to cancer, heart disease and diabetes. According to the animal research of Dr. Kenneth Carroll, "...the more polyunsaturated fats were in the diet, the more they were cancer promoting; and the more saturated fats were, the more they were cancer reducing..." Yet we are told by such organizations as the American Heart Association that these polyunsaturated oils are the healthy oils to eat and cook with. In actual fact, we were only meant to consume vegetable oils by eating the nuts and seeds that they come in; the nuts and seeds also contain the antioxidants that prevent the oxidization of the fats.

Vegetable oils are refined with solvents and heat, making them toxic and rancid. Deodorizing compounds are added to cover up the smell, and voila - they will stay on the store shelf for months looking deceptively beautiful. Even in their unrefined form, these polyunsaturated oils cannot be recommended even in salad dressings, as they are sensitive to light. Polyunsaturated vegetable oils are also most frequently turned into trans-fats, so pretty much any time you see any vegetable oils listed on an ingredient list in a packaged food or a recipe, you would be doing yourself a huge favour in the long run by not eating it. The best fats for cooking are organic pasture-fed raw butter or ghee, organic virgin coconut oil, organic, pasture-fed beef tallow, and unrefined organic olive oil (low to medium temperatures only).

Enig, Mary; Know Your Fats: The Complete Primer For Understanding the Nutrition of Fats, Oils, and Cholesterol Bethesda Press, Silver Spring, MD, 2003.

Fallon, Sally and Enig, Mary; Nourishing Traditions, Revised 2nd Edition NewTrends Publishing Inc., Washington, D.C., 2001

Prescription Painkillers More Lethal Than Illegal Drugs

It's not surprising to learn opioid prescription painkillers -- think morphine, methadone and hydrocodone -- are more deadly than heroin or cocaine when abused, but the source of the study is: The CDC. In fact, as sales of opioids have increased, so have the number of deaths.

The numbers paint a stark picture of the problem:

Unintentional drug poisonings more than tripled between 1990-2002 to 18 percent versus 5 percent during the previous dozen years.
Deaths blamed on abusing opioid drugs between 1999-2002 exploded by 91 percent.
Opioid deaths dwarfed that of heroin (12 percent) and cocaine (22 percent).
Although accompanying comments by other researchers caution patients against being overly concerned about these numbers, fact is, prescription and over-the-counter drugs kill more people every year than those who die from illegal drug use combined. And, deaths blamed on prescription drugs tend to rise at the beginning of each month by as much as 25 percent.

If you want to treat your pain and your body safely, I urge you to review a recent article I posted about the array of options at your disposal.

USDA seeks to weaken standards for organic beef

The USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service is seeking to increase the number of substances that could be used on cows that are to be deemed organic. CattleNetwork.com has a list of all eight substances, most of which are used to combat maladies common to feedlot cattle. The list includes bismuth subsalicylate, the active ingredient in Pepto-Bismol, which would be used for stomach ulcer relief, as well as poloxalene, used to keep cattle from getting bloated. Both bloating and ulcers are often the result of a corn-heavy diet that grass-eating cows aren't used to. NewsTarget.com also reports on the proposed changes, but with a bit more of a slant than CattleNetwork.

If the USDA's proposed rule passes, livestock will be treated with such chemicals as:

Atropine, a lethal belladonna extract used to treat pesticide exposure. The NOP approved the use of atropine after consulting with the EPA and FDA.

Bismuth subsalicyate, an anti-diarrhea drug used to treat ulcers. The FDA said that bismuth could be approved for use in livestock, because it is already approved for use in humans.

Butorphanol, a pre-surgical painkiller that was recommended for use by the National Organic Standards Board; but they requested that slaughter or sale of milk from the treated cow be twice as long as the FDA requirement (an extension the USDA feels is unnecessary).

Flunxin is a non-narcotic and non-steroidal drug used to treat inflammation or pyrexia. Like Butorphanol, the NOSB requested the time between use of the substance and slaughter or milking be twice what the FDA recommends and, again, the USDA felt the measure unnecessary.

Furosemide, a diuretic drug -- used to treat udder and pulmonary edema -- that the NOSB also requested have an extended period to flush out of an animal before its milk or meat is sold for consumption. The USDA said the extension was unnecessary for this drug too.

Magnesium hydroxide is a naturally occurring mineral that can be used to treat stomach troubles, constipation and acid indigestion.

Peroxyacetic/paracetic acid, which is approved as an indirect food additive by the FDA, is a sanitizer used to clean processing equipment and to disinfect animals, meat and dairy.

Poloxalene, is a synthetic stool softener that can treat bloat in cattle, and while the NOSB recommends that the substance only be approved for emergency situations, the USDA wants it to be added to feed as a preventative measure.

Why are cows so sick? Conventional cows are fed a diet full of grains and corn which are not their natural diet. As such like humans who eat excess grains, they start suffering from digestive problems. Eat only cows which are grass fed, these are incredibly health promoting and easy to find even in Singapore. Understand that organic beef if raised on organic grain feed is just as detrimental.

Stomach acid deficiency - hypochlordria

Upon a recent glance thru papers I have come across an interesting relationship between decreased stomach acids and arthritis. In one investigation, researchers studied seventy patients, half with rheumatoid arthritis, half with osteoarthritis. What they found was that most people suffering from arthritis don't have enough stomach acids. In fact 28 percent had no stomach acids at all which are vital for the digestion of minerals (such as Magnesium) and proteins.

Those suffering from mineral deficiencies, scoliosis, protein types or arthritis it would be a good idea to supplement with betaine hydrochloride for 6 months to stimulate normal stomach acid levels to improve digestion. Because it is not what you eat, but what you absorb that it difference between good health and sickness.

Chinese Hospitals Over-Prescribe Antibiotics To Generate Income

BEIJING, June 30 -- Health experts have called for more attention to be paid to the proper prescription of medicines, in particular the use of antibiotics.

"China has a very serious problem of antibiotics abuse, especially antibacterial injection," said Professor Yang Yonghong of Beijing Children's Hospital, during the International Pediatric Pharmacology Symposium currently being held in Shanghai.

"About 90 per cent of patients with common colds first use antibiotics," said Yang. Antibiotics are ineffective against viruses such as common colds.

"The improper use (of antibiotics) will result in development of drug resistance, more side effects, increased medical expenses and a huge burden for parents," said Professor Wang Daiming of Shanghai Children's Hospital of Fudan University.

Yang also revealed that resistance against the antibiotic erythromycin has increased to as high as 90 per cent among pneumococcal pneumonia patients.

During the symposium, Yang presented a nationwide survey on antibiotics consumption in five children's hospitals in Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing and Guangzhou since 2000.

The survey showed the use of antibiotics in hospitals has continued to increase, with the misuse of antibiotics for non-infectious diseases common.

Early this year, China Association of Medicine revised the guidelines for antibiotics use in medical institutions nationwide.

In some hospitals like Shanghai Children's Hospital, antibiotics have been classified and the prescription rights are given to doctors of various levels.

However, the measure is unlikely to have much impact on antibiotics abuse as the source of the problem remains in China's medical system: Hospitals rely too much on income from selling medicines.

The survey showed that medicine sales accounted for around half of total income.

Antibiotics accounted for 43 to 50 per cent of all income from sales of Western drugs in the five hospitals.

China Daily

Calcium and Magnesium Summary

For those that dont have the time to read the article below it highlights a few important points. That regardless of health conditions and age to ratios of Ca and Mag in your blood remains the same, what changes is what is in cells (intracellular). Meaning that blood levels of Ca and Mg do not reflect deficiencies as your body will try to maintain sufficient levels in blood at all times. Also it highlights how a majority of health conditions that are associated with aging have a strong correlation with excess Ca levels as opposed to Mg levels. So eat your greens for good Calcium and Magnesium and stay away from excess Ca foods such as cheese and milk.

Calcium and Magnesium Levels Age-Related Changes and Relationship to Hypertension and Diabetes

Ward Dean, MD

Magnesium and potassium are the principal intracellular cations (positive ions), while calcium and sodium are the principal extracellular cations. Although magnesium plays a universal role in cellular biochemistry, and is critical to enzyme activation, nerve conduction, ion transport, and hundreds of other functions, little is known about the effect of age on magnesium metabolism.

Because only about 1% of magnesium is extracellular, serum magnesium levels do not accurately reflect intracellular magnesium content. Furthermore, only 10-15% of intracellular magnesium is in the free, active form.1

Age-Related Changes in Intracellular Ca/Mg Levels
Recently, a team of researchers performed a study on 103 subjects of various ages, utilizing 31P-nuclear magnetic (NMR) and 19F-NMR techniques to determine
intracellular levels of magnesium and calcium, respectively.2 The scientists analyzed the levels of calcium and magnesium, using red blood cells, drawn at 9 AM.

Characteristics of the participants in this study were as follows: Seventy-one of the subjects were less than 65-years old, and thirty-two subjects were older than 65. Thirty-seven of the subjects were “healthy normals” (eleven of whom were older than 65, and twenty-six were younger than 65). Thirty-nine were hypertensive (nine were older than 65, and thirty were younger than 65). Twenty-seven had non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) (12 were older than 65, and 15 were younger than 65).



Interestingly, the scientists found that there were no differences of serum (i.e., the liquid portion of blood, minus the red and white blood cells) levels of calcium and magnesium in any of the participants—i.e., neither age nor disease (hypertension or diabetes) had any effect on serum concentrations of these minerals.



However, younger normal subjects had lower levels of intracellular magnesium, and higher levels of intracellular calcium (Figs. 1 and 2) than the normal older subjects. Fleckenstein (1983) found similar changes in tissue calcium and magnesium levels in the aortas of humans who died at various ages. Fleckenstein demonstrated the progressive accumulation of calcium in arterial tissue, resulting in a shift of the calcium/magnesium ratio in favor of calcium (Fig. 3).3



Intracellular Mineral Levels and Disease
Significantly, subjects with hypertension or non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) had higher levels of intracellular calcium and lower levels of intracellular magnesium—even worse than the levels seen in older normal subjects (Figs. 4 and 5).



Based on these results, the authors formulated an “ionic hypothesis” in which they proposed that an intracellular profile characterized by excess calcium and depleted magnesium resulted in insulin resistance (resulting in obesity and NIDDM), hypertension, and aging.

Measuring Tissue Calcium and Magnesium Levels
The data described in this study appear to indicate that intracellular calcium and magnesium may be a useful biomarker of aging. However, as noted by the authors in this study, intracellular calcium and magnesium levels are not accurately assessed by routine blood (serum) analysis. Furthermore, the techniques utilized by the authors to gather these data are not readily available outside of major research institutes.

There are several techniques that are readily available to accomplish this, however. An innovative technique has been developed to non-invasively and fairly inexpensively (about $70) measure levels of intracellular minerals. The test involves scraping cells from the floor of the mouth with a small spatula (ice cream stick), and sending the slide to IntraCellular Diagnostics. (800-874-4804). There, scientists use scanning electron microscopy and X-ray fluorescence to determine levels of calcium and
magnesium, plus sodium, potassium, chlorine and phosphorous.

Another technique that measures tissue mineral levels is to use hair analysis (available from VRP). Although blood tests measure levels of various substances over very narrow periods of time, hair mineral levels reveal stable tissue mineral levels based on accumulation over weeks to months. Hair elemental analysis can be a source of important information for healthcare practitioners and their patients. With proper interpretation, hair analysis test results can point to hidden causes of chronic illness,
and help physicians design nutritional interventions.

Optimizing Calcium/Magnesium Balance
The observations in this study—that elevated levels of intracellular calcium, and depressed levels of intracellular magnesium—clearly indicate the contribution of this pattern to many chronic degenerative diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, obesity and aging. These findings appear to validate the calcium/magnesium balance in VRP’s multi-nutrient and multi-mineral formulas, which are generally weighted in favor of magnesium-to-calcium. The rationale for these higher magnesium-to-calcium ratios has been previously explained in detail in the Customers’ Corner in the March, 2000 issue of Vitamin Research News. (On the internet go to www.vrp.com, choose “library,” and enter “calcium” in the search engine.)

References:
1. Gupta, R.K., Gupta, P., Yushok, W.D., Rose, Z.B. Measurement of the dissociation constant of magnesium ATP of 31P-NMR and optical absorbance spectroscopy.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 1983, 253: 6172-6176.

2. Barbagallo, M., Gupta, R.K., Dominguez, L.J., and Resnick, L.M. Cellular ionic alterations with age: Relation to hypertension and diabetes. J American Geriatrics Society, 2000, 48: 1111-1116.

3. Fleckenstein, A. Calcium Antagonism in Heart and Smooth Muscle, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1983.

One persons journey though healing scoliosis

Today I have an email that I received from one of my patients Jacqualine Tan who actually took it out of her own free time to help others with scoliosis. She had recently attended a talk held by a Singapore scoliosis support group where a professor proclaimed that the only treatment available for sufferers was bracing a surgery. Obviously this left the group feeling quite hopeless.... even more so when previous surgical patients gave testimonials of how they regretted doing the surgery due to the pain and disability it caused. Unfortunately patients are not given sufficient information to be able to make their own informed decision. Many times I have heard parents say that their doctor told them that "there is nothing that can be done and that they must go for surgery". Yet ask any orthopaedic surgeon whether or not they would opt for surgery if one of their own family members had a severe curve, a majority would say no. If professors and doctors don't believe in surgery then why do they promote it? I guess they have to make a living too. Harsh I know but this is the reality, I quickly learned this while doing the medical round doing from Doctor to doctor while going thru chronic fatigue. How can an industry built upon sickness deliver health? While Modern Medicine is great for emergency critical care and I would go to no one else if I was in a car accident, it is hopeless for chronic conditions such as scoliosis and fatigue. Fortunately the tides are changing and their is a new breed of medical doctors calling themselves integrative and anti aging who I would trust with chronic conditions. Optimal health comes from following the basics: good food, clean air, adequate sunshine and exercise.
So heres Jacquelines story.
In health,
Dr Kevin Lau
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Yin Hoe,

I like to join the Scoliosis Support Group as a member so I'll have opportunities to share what I've discovered in my journey to wellness. I prefer to give my response here as I find online forms rather restrictive.

I first learnt my spine has a sideway curve 8 years ago when I went for a full body massage. The masseuse traced the curvature with her finger . I dismissed it as an abnormality I was probably born with and thought no more of it as I had no pains nor aches anywhere, not even the usual backache ladies usually complain of when they have their periods and the number of times I've had a headache can be counted on one hand.However in the past few years, I suffered from tense shoulders and low energy .

A few months ago, I began to wonder whether my spinal curvature is what 's called "Scoliosis" . Hence, when Contour Health Chiropractic, Raffles City, advertised a workshop on Scoliosis, I attended. The chiropractor confirmed I have scoliosis after a visual assessment . A spinal X-ray confirmed I had right thoracic "C" shaped scoliosis of 36 degrees from the neck to T6.

I signed up for a 80 sessions package with Contour Health.
Twice each week, I do a one-hour therapy session at Contour Health . I do exercises to stretch and strengthen muscles and the bones in the upper part of my body and the neck , including traction and inversion. Then I adjoun to the doctor's room where he adjusts my spinal and cervical vertebrae .The electrodes , which I find most relaxing , comes last.

Contour Health send their patients for an assessment x-ray when they have completed 72 sessions.. X-rays of the earliest patients ( Contour Health established their first clinic in Singapore in Aug 2005) have been very encouraging. All the patients have had their curvatures reduced ; the patient with the least improvement registerd a 7 degree correction. There was a 15 year old who improved from 45 degrees to 28 and a 70 year old from 16 to 4 (hope I've recalled correctly).

I don't know how much my spine has shifted as my X-ray is not due till Aug but I certainly feel much more relaxed. Dr Kevin Lau has a passion for getting his patients well . Besides the exercises and spinal manipulations, Kevin emphasises the importance of providing our muscles and bones with the necessary minerals and vitamins to get better. He urges us to go GREEN - eat fresh green vegs (uncooked where possible or lightly steamed) and drink green juices (juices from fresh green veg like brocolli, spinach, kai lan, cucumber ). He also encourages us to detox to rid our bodies of unwanted organisms and to make our own probiotics to improve our digestive systems. With more enzymes in our digestive systems, our cells will be able to assimilate more of the nutrition we're sending their way.

Dr Kevin's latest is Magnsium Taurate - he believes Magnsium may reduce tension in muscles and increase energy level. I started Magnsium Taurate only last Sat and Dr Kevin was right indeed! I can actually feel my shoulders and neck getting looser! On Sunday, after lunch, I climbed up 200 stories to prepare for a trek in India/China come Oct but I wasn't tired as I normally would have been !

Besides doing therapy at Contour Health, I go to Nan Wah Pai at Geylang for taiji twice each week.Nan Wah Pai Taiji places emphasis on qi circulation and body postures so my taiji practise has also contributed significantly to my becoming a more relaxed person physically and mentally.

Once a week, I go to Nan Wah Pai Orthopaedic Centre at Yishun for "tui na." The Orthopaedic physician who's China trained is very experienced and skilful at breaking the qi blockages in my upper back, shoulders and neck.

And I mustn't forget to mention my Magnetic pillow and Magnetic mattress - they promote blood circuation while i slumber and I awake feeling refreshed each morning.

Chiropractic,taiji, tui na, green veg and juices, energy healing meditaions and magnet therapy - they have all made me much healthier and more relaxed than before I discovered I have Scoliosis.

Regards,
Jacqueline

Stop child drug abuse!

One of my favorite publications for news is the New York Times, and while you still have to be critical of everything that you read, such as the disease mongering drug ads or bird flu scares driving vaccine profits, it still has great articles. Here is a link to an article highlighting the scary fact that kids are being drugged more than ever before. I guess the big pharm's have figured out its more profitable to start building a customer base at an early age. Am I the only one that thinks this is insane?!

New York Times Article