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, Natural Alternatives, Issue #06-05
November 09, 2005
Natural Alternatives for Your Total Health


November, 2005

Hello, and welcome to this edition of my Natural Alternatives Newsletter!


A worm welcome to new subscribers. I hope you will enjoy reading this issue.

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Nature is the Physician of all Disease ~ Hippocrates
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IN THIS ISSUE:

1) MAGNEZIUM TO LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE

2) TIPS FOR COLD AND FLU

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1) MAGNEZIUM TO LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE By Yam Cher Seng

IF you have high blood pressure or hypertension, it will not manifest any symptoms till the damage is done. It’s a condition that is estimated to affect 20 per cent of adults in the industrialised countries and is even more prevalent in the developing countries. Despite billions of dollars spent on blood pressure lowering medications, it is still poorly controlled in many people.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that the problem is further compounded by poor compliance to prescribed anti-hypertensive medication.

Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury (mm Hg) and measurements less than 120/80 mm Hg are considered ideal, a reading of less than 140/90 mm Hg is considered normal, but blood pressure over 140/90 is diagnosed as hypertension.

Hypertension is one of the leading causes of death or disability due to stroke, heart attack and kidney failure. There are two types of high blood pressure and 90 per cent of all cases are primary or essential hypertension where the cause is unknown, unlike secondary hypertension with identifiable causes that are treatable or reversible. However, a higher intake of sodium (salt), alcohol and proteins have been linked to increased blood pressure, along with other risk factors such as obesity and lack of regular physical activity. The good news is that diet modifications, exercise, stress management and the use of nutritional supplements can help in reducing elevated blood pressure.

The American Heart Association’s Nutrition Committee recommends a diet low in saturated fat, high in complex carbohydrates (adding fruits and vegetables) and restricted in salt intake. Such a diet is rich in minerals such as potassium, calcium and magnesium. Food rich in potassium, calcium, and magnesium are Chinese cabbage, carrots, cucumber, spinach, celery, sprouts, mushrooms, mung beans, potatoes, avocados, broccoli and most fruits.

Magnesium works together with calcium in supporting the body’s functions in the formation of bones and teeth, the clotting of blood, and the regulation of heart rate. Known as a muscle relaxant, magnesium helps in lowering blood pressure by relaxing the muscles that control blood vessels.

Calcium, on the other hand, is required for the contraction of muscles and that is why these minerals are usually found in combination. Magnesium has been successfully used in pregnancy-induced hypertension. It seems that most people do not get enough magnesium in their daily diets as they fail to consume five servings of fruit and vegetables as well as the tendency to eat mainly processed foods which are almost depleted of this important mineral. The recommended daily requirement of magnesium for adults is about 400mg a day.

Research indicates that people who are physically inactive have a 35 per cent chance of developing high blood pressure compared to an athletic person. Apart from lowering blood pressure, regular exercise strengthens the heart muscle, raises good HDL levels, thins the blood, fights off the excess weight and imparts a general sense of well-being. Physical activity needs to be incorporated as a lifelong habit and encouraged from young.

The effects of stress can deplete your body of magnesium and this probably explains why chronic stress raises normal blood pressure. A study using stress management techniques such as meditation, deep-breathing exercises and yoga shows that it reduces the need for anti-hypertensive medications in 70 per cent of the subjects with mild to moderate hypertension within six weeks and that half of the studied subjects could stop their medication within a year.


2) TIPS FOR COLD AND FLU


The cold and flu season is here again. While there is no cure, there are things you can do to prevent or fight them.

Exercise regularly. This is a good way to protect yourself from sickness. If you already have a cold do only a mild exercise. This will help get your circulation better.

Echinacea if used early enough, is the most potent cold and flu fighter.

Other herbal remedies that are favourable are astralagus, ginseng and andrographis.

Vitamin C is also very helpful in preventing and treating the flu. Researches found that taking 1000 to 8000 mg per day was enough to reduce the severity and the symptoms of the common cold by 23%. Try taking 1000 mg three times a day. ( I prefer to eat lemon or other fresh fruits with high content of vitamin C, on a regular basis. )

Zinc mineral will boost the immune system, reduce respiratory infections and tend to reduce the length of time a person is sick for. You can take a 13 mg supplement of zinc (look for gluconate or acetate), every two hours during a day for the first few days of the cold, but do not use them for a longer period of time.

Garlic is also a great cold fighter. Eat it fresh or if you can not stand it buy a supplement.

Fluids. Drink lots of water, tea or juice especially when you catch a cold or the flu, because your body tends to dehydrate. Taking in h.ot tea or chicken soup helps to ease a sore throat, even to open nasal passages.

Steam is also good to open up nasal passages. Try sitting over a bowl of steaming water and breath in the vapours. Just be careful not to burn yourself. Place a towel over your head and keep a steam from escaping. If you want better results you may put few drops of essential oils like peppermint, lavender or eucalyptus.

Gargling with salt can help kill germs in your throat. Make a strong mixture of salt and warm water and gargle with it, than spit it out. Do this at least three times a day.

When to see your doctor?

If you have a low fever that won’t relent after three days (above 101 degrees), or a high fever (above 103 degrees) go to see you doctor immediately. Also if your throat is that sore that swallowing becomes difficult, if you have trouble breathing, if you are experiencing excessive soreness in upper respiratory tract, or your ears get blocked. These could be signs of bacterial infection or more serious illness.

Source: Doctor’s Home Remedies that Work, Doctor’s Health Press


PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE!


Thank you for reading and have a nice day!


Livia P.
www.natural-health-and-healing.com
Brampton, Ontario, Canada


P.S. If you have a comment or suggestion, just reply to this e-mail. Your feedback is important to me.


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This newsletter is for educational purposes only. It is your right to educate yourself in health and medical knowledge, to seek helpful information and make use of it for your own benefit, and for that of your family. You are the one responsible for your health. You must educate yourself in order to make decisions in all health matters. My views and advices are not intended to be a substitute for conventional medicine, but simply a help you to make educated changes in order to help your body heal itself. If you have a medical condition or concern you should consult your physician.

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