by admin | Apr 30, 2015 | Children, General, Nutrition, Sports, Therapy
Are your chocolate cravings so intense that you feel like it screams your name? Do you ever jump out of bed in the middle of the night because of a muscle spasm? Or, no matter what you try, do you have difficulty sleeping? There’s a good chance you’re deficient in magnesium.
Substantial numbers of Americans are deficient in the mineral magnesium. However, most people have no idea that they’re missing this vital mineral. Nutritionists often call magnesium the master mineral because it affects over 300 different enzymatic processes that help your body function properly. As a registered dietitian, I’d like to share seven of the most common symptoms of magnesium deficiency — backed up by research — I see when clients come for nutrition counseling:
1. Muscle cramps or spasms
If you’ve had one of these, you know how awful they can be whether you’re sitting at your desk or awakened in the middle of the night with a painfully tight calf! Muscle cramps are a result of muscle spasms, which are involuntary muscle contractions. Magnesium helps relax muscles throughout your body, so when you’re deficient your muscles will contract involuntarily.
2. Trouble sleeping
Millions of Americans have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Magnesium plays an important role in the function of your central nervous system. Without sufficient magnesium, you may experience insomnia. Also, magnesium levels drop in your body at night, leading to poor quantity and quality of REM sleep, which is the most critical sleep cycle to recharge your body and mind.
3. Chocolate cravings
Dark chocolate is high in magnesium, and one square provides about 24% of your daily value of magnesium. Intense “I have to have it” chocolate cravings are another sign of magnesium deficiency. Your body actually craves what it needs sometimes.
4. Anxiety
Magnesium is the most powerful relaxation mineral. If you experience anxiety, this is a common early symptom of how your central nervous system is affected by magnesium deficiency. When you feel anxious, taking 200mg of magnesium may make you feel more relaxed.
5. High blood pressure
Many people wonder why they have high blood pressure even though they follow a healthy, whole food diet. Magnesium may be the answer; another important function of magnesium is relaxing and dilating your blood vessels. When you’re low in magnesium, your blood vessels constrict more, causing high blood pressure. Adequate magnesium levels also help balance your electrolytes. Unbalanced electrolytes can create high blood pressure as well.
6. Irregular heartbeat
It has become common for people to develop heart arrhythmias, then be put on medications. Your heart is a muscular organ, making the cardiovascular system highly dependent on magnesium to properly function. If your heart is deficient in magnesium, it can’t contract properly, which may cause irregular heartbeats.
7. Constipation
If you experience constipation regularly, that’s another sign you’re deficient in magnesium. When you’re low in magnesium, your intestines contract more, making it harder for stool to pass. Not only will magnesium relax your bowel to create a more regular bowel rhythm, but it also has an osmotic effect. Magnesium pulls water into the bowels, softening the stool. Choose magnesium citrate to help constipation. Most of my clients have at least one of the above symptoms and have found great relief after increasing their magnesium levels.
How can you increase your magnesium levels?
First, stop eating foods that deplete nutrients, such as flour and sugar. Instead eat foods high in magnesium, such as meat, avocados, leafy green vegetables and nuts. If you’re eating chocolate to restore some of your magnesium, make sure it’s at least 70% cocoa, and keep your chocolate intake to one ounce or less per day.
Even if you eat a healthy diet, you will likely still need to supplement with magnesium. Look for a good-quality magnesium supplement in the form of magnesium glycinate, which is one of the most absorbable forms. Most people need about 400 mg, but you can go up to 1,000 mg per day if needed. Take magnesium at bedtime for best absorption and to provide deep, rejuvenating sleep!
Here at Exum Chiropractic Clinic we sell top quality magnesium. It is through a local company called Xymogen. Call us at 407-423-0038 to discuss any questions you may have about magnesium and your health.
by admin | Apr 27, 2015 | General, Sports
PORTLAND, ME – The Eastern League is pleased to announce the winners of the Eastern League Player of the Week Award and Eastern League Pitcher of the Week Award for the period of April 20th through April 26th.
Altoona Curve second baseman Max Moroff has been selected as the Eastern League Player of the Week for the period of April 20th-April 26th. The 21-year old hit .474 (9-for-19) with four doubles, one triple, one home run, four runs scored, two RBIs, four walks and a .947 slugging percentage in five games for the Curve last week. Moroff, who is a native of Maitland, Florida, had at least one hit in all five games he played in last week and had multiple hits in three of those games, including going 3-for-4 with two doubles, one triple and one run scored in a 6-3 loss against the visiting Harrisburg Senators on Monday. The
6’0″, 175 lb. slugger led all Eastern League players in batting average (.474), extra-base hits (6), on-base percentage (.565), slugging percentage (.947) and OPS (1.513) last week.
He also tied for the league lead in total bases (18) and doubles (4) while also finishing ranked among the weekly leaders in hits (9-tied 3rd), triples (1-tied 3rd), home runs (1-tied 3rd) and walks (4-tied 8th). Max, who is batting .320 in 14 games for the Curve this season and is currently ranked sixth in the league in on-base percentage (.424) and seventh in OPS (.924), was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 16th round of the 2012 draft out of Trinity Prep School in Winter Park, Florida.
In the off season Max was a regular at Exum Chiropractic. He received various treatments from chiropractic adjustments to vacuum cupping, and Vibrawave rehab. Everything that Max did helped to prepare him for this season with the AA Pittsburg Pirates organization, The Altoona Curve.
We not only help the professional athlete, we help the weekend warrior, or the average person who is doing housework or yard work. We treat every age from infants to senior citizens.
by admin | Apr 2, 2015 | General, Injury, Sports, Therapy
With some injuries it is obvious what we should do, I have a fractured bone or a severe laceration, I go to the emergency room or urgent care center. Some injuries are not that obvious. You are working in the yard or are doing house work, you bend over and there is a pop or sharp shooting pain. You could be walking/running and roll your ankle, swinging a golf club and then your back spasms.
You ask what should I do first. One of the first things to do is apply ice. It should be applied for 20 minutes then removed for 20-30 min. Follow this regime for 24-48 hours. You can do this several times a day. You can also follow the pneumonic R.I.C.E.
R – REST
I – ICE
C – COMPRESSION
E – ELEVATION
If there are multiple injuries your body will prioritize which injury is acute, and this injury needs to be addressed first. If there is no improvement after that time you should seek treatment. Conservative treatment is the best way to tackle such injuries. Chiropractic treatment, massage, physical therapy, and vitamin supplementation are good places to start.
Healing times may vary on the severity of the injury. Here at Exum chiropractic we will guide you through the conservative healing process. If for some reason this treatment does not seem to help we will refer you to the appropriate physician.
by admin | May 22, 2014 | General, Nutrition, Sports
Scientists have recently learned of a specific Omega-7 fat called palmitoleic acid which can help with metabolic syndrome. Omega-7 can decrease the risk of type II diabetes, prevent build up of atherosclerotic plaque, increase beneficial HDLs and lower C-reactive protein, an inflammatory marker associated with high risk for heart attack and stroke.
Omega -7’s are fats that function as signaling molecules that allow communication between fats and muscle whereas omega-3s are fats that are beneficial mainly because they are involved with anti-inflammatory molecules.
A small amount of omega-7 has an effect on the body’s response to energy intake, and fat storage and utilization. Omega-7 suppresses the production of new fat molecules, especially those that damage tissue and raise cardiovascular risk. Their effects resemble those of many drug commonly used by people with cholesterol and/or high blood sugar.
Keep in mind that metabolic syndrome consists of the following:
• Elevated glucose and insulin Resistance
• Lipid disturbances(high triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol)
• High Blood Pressure
• Central Obesity
• Chronic inflammation
Having metabolic syndrome can lead to heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and other serious disorders. Omega-7s help in helping in the following way:
• Decrease insulin resistance & decrease blood sugar
• Suppresses fat production and accumulation
• Normalizes abnormal lipid profiles (including raising HDL cholesterol)
• Fights obesity
• Suppresses inflammation that drives metabolic syndrome
ALL OMEGA SOURCES ARE NOT THE SAME! Some natural sources include macadamia nuts and sea buckthorn; however, you also get high levels of palmitic acid, which is a thick palm oil. Palmitic acid raises the risk of stroke, heart attack, and other cardiovascular issue. The above contain 11-27% Omega-7 which is good, but also contain 9-40% palmitic acid which can negate the benefits. You want an Omega-7 product that is purified to decrease palmitic acid concentration to less than 1% and also increase the Omega-7 content near 50%. For more information, please read Life extension Magazine, 4/14 issue, pp. 26-33, by Carol
Stockton. Ask us how to acquire a top quality Omega-7 supplement!
Recent Comments