Showing posts with label calcium. Show all posts
Showing posts with label calcium. Show all posts

Wednesday, 13 March 2013

The Mineral Medic: Part 1

I don't believe in the unnatural healing properties of stones, the belief that simply by keeping a certain stone near you your health will rapidly increase. However, I do believe that certain minerals can naturally improve ones health.

The human body is made up of 19 different minerals; Boron, Calcium, Chromium, Cobalt, Copper, Fluorine, Iodine, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Phosphorous, Potassium, Selenium, Sulfur, Silicon, Vanadium and Zinc. As you can probably guess, each and every one of us requires a ready supply of these minerals to function properly, if your body lacks a substantial amount of these minerals then you will be open to a large range of potential illnesses. However, by keeping the levels of these minerals at optimal levels you can make sure that you remain strong and healthy.  Over the course of the next few weeks I will be going into detail on each of these minerals and to start with, I will go over some information on one of the most well know minerals, Calcium, and one of the least known Boron.


Boron is a trace mineral located in the human body that naturally helps fight against Arthritis, menopause and osteoporosis. It is also believed that Boron is responsible for the absorption of calcium and magnesium. I find it strange that a body lacking in Boron shows no immediate signs of degradation, however, adding further backup to the theory that Boron is responsible for the absorption of calcium and magnesium; it has been shown that bodies lacking in Boron have difficulty metabolizing new Calcium and Magnesium intake, leading to deficiencies in both minerals over time. On top of the metabolism problems, Boron deficiency is implied to also lead to problems with the thyroid and sexual hormone imbalances. 
For those reasons, I believe it safest to keep Boron levels in the body high, even though many of the supposed symptoms are theoretical, they are close to proven, and in the case of your own health, surely it is better to err on the side of caution?
The simplest way you can keep your Boron levels high are by eating certain fruits, which are natural Boron producers; apples, oranges, almonds, red grapes, pear, plum, kiwi, sultanas, dates, vegetables, soybeans and nuts. Boron is commonly overlooked for its uses to the human body, but the good it can do should not go unnoticed, a ready supply of Boron can;
  • Combat the symptoms of Arthritis: In 95% of Arthritis cases where Boron has been used, it has managed to effectively reduce the symptoms of Arthritis and in many cases halt the degradation of bone density (the cause of Arthritis). 
  • Build bone density: As suggested in the above post, a healthy Boron supply can help to strengthen bones and build their density, which will also help to combat Arthritis ever taking hold.
  • Improve Cognitive processes: Studies have shown that Boron can enhance ones short term memory and concentration, as well as speed up and increase the accuracy of basic hand eye coordination. On top of this it has also been shown to enhance higher brain functions.
  • Prevents Blood Clots: Some studies have shown that Boron contains some properties that can break up blood clots, however more studies need to be held to determine the authenticity of these reports.
  • Aid in Cancer therapy: The Neutron found in Boron has been shown to have effective enzyme inhibitor growth effects, which help to fight back the growth of cancer cells. Boron compounds also acts as a powerful antibody in anti cancer treatments.
Calcium makes up 2% of the total body weight of a healthy human male, located in our bones and teeth in large amounts. As such the best known application of Calcium is to establish and improve the growth of bones, it being one of the minerals we require immediately from birth. The two most important times in our life that rely on a regular Calcium intake are the first few years of our life and our old age. In our infant years as our bones are still developing, it is important to keep a regular intake of Calcium to assure that the bones grow strong. Oddly, the opposite begins as we reach old age, our bones begin to thin and weaken (open them up to arthritis) so it becomes integral to keep a steady amount of fresh Calcium flowing into our bodies to combat this weakening. However, Calcium is not only responsible for bone development; trace amounts of Calcium can be located within the circulatory system, being utilized to combat internal hemorrhages. 
Currently Calcium deficiency is one of the greatest forms of Mineral deficiency in English and American societies, particularly in women. The probably cause for this is linked to the current societal view on the "Size 0" perception of beauty, causing young and/or insecure women to cut out calories (And therefore many foods high in Calcium) of their diets. It goes without saying that this is causing undue harm to many people, even though it is relatively easy to increase your Calcium intake.
A well known source of Calcium is Dairy products; Cheese, milk and yogurts being among the most used, however many fish also contain large Calcium deposits, Salmon and tuna being two of the largest suppliers. Finally, a large grouping of fruit and vegetables also host Calcium deposits; broccoli, spinach, orange juice, almonds, black-eyed peas, Green peas, and Ricotta being a few prime examples.
In addition to stronger, healthy bones, an optimal amount of Calcium in the body can cause the following changes in the body:
  • Regulate and Control Blood Pressure: When combined in a diet involving large amounts of magnesium and potassium, studies have shown that blood pressure can be periodically lowered and maintained at a stable level. 
  • Reduce the chances of becoming Obese: If you fail to keep a healthy level of Calcium in the body, hormones will be released that cause old Calcium cells to detach from the bone structure and move into the blood stream, simply to attempt to maintain the Calcium balance in your body. However, the hormone that is released also stimulates the growth of fatty cells in your body, increasing the fat percentage in the body. As you can see, this can rapidly cause obesity if not monitored carefully.
  • Prevent Cardiac Arrest: Calcium also helps to build defenses around the Heart muscles as well as aid in their growth, releasing hormones to help stimulate the heart in moments of failure. By simply keeping an optimal level of Calcium, you can massively reduce your chances of Cardiac Arrest.
Copper
Chromium
Next time, I will give details on both Chromium and Copper, I hope the information I have given you today proves to be useful to you!

Monday, 4 March 2013

Getting To Know - The Burdock Plant


Burdock root (Arctium lappa), is a large perennial thistle plant that grows throughout Europe and Asia and has been known for its healing properties for many centuries and was commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat many different illnesses.  It is rich in calcium, chlorogenic acid, flavonoids, iron, inulin, lactone, mucilage, polyacetylenes, potassium, resin, tannin, and taraxosterol.  In Asia, the taproot of young burdock plant is harvested and eaten as a root vegetable.  It has a gummy consistency and is sweet to the taste.

Traditional Uses for Burdock Root

As Burdock has many medicinal qualities all its parts are used in many herbal remedies: the leaves (mainly for tea), the burrs, the seed, the stem and the root.  Traditionally the burdock root was used as a diuretic, diaphoretic, and a blood purifying agent. But it wasn’t just the root that was used.  The compressed seeds of the burdock were used in folk medicine to make a tincture that provided relief for measles and arthritis, tonsillitis and throat pain, and viruses like the common cold. It can be used topically to treat skin conditions like ulcers, acne, eczema, and psoriasis.  By extracting oil from the roots or the burs, scalp treatments are produced which help treat dandruff and prevent hair loss.  Burdock oil is rich in phytosterols and essential fatty acids and this is said to improve hair strength, shine, and body.  The leaves of the burdock have even been used in pain management and to help speed up recovery time in burn patients.  And most encouraging of all, in Russia and India, burdock root is used in oncology for its cancer-curing properties.  It is believed by many herbalists that burdock root can stop cancer cells from metastasizing.

Essiac for Cancer

In the 1920s, nurse Rene Caisse marketed a cancer-fighting herbal preparation containing burdock that was based on a traditional Ojibwa medicine. The exact formula remains secret, but contains burdock, slippery elm, sheep sorrel and Turkish rhubarb. Taken in a tea, it continues to be used as an alternative anti-cancer remedy. The National Cancer Institute states that several reputable scientific studies have found no proof that Essiac is effective in slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells, and it has not been approved by the FDA as a drug. Consult your doctor before using Essiac or burdock for cancer.



Did You Know

Burdock is also known as Fox's Clote, Thorny Burr, Beggar's Buttons, Cockle Buttons, Love Leaves, Philanthropium, Personata, Happy Major and Clot-Bur.

Burdock is also consumed as a vegetable in Japan, where it's called Gobo.

Because burdock root suppress any sudden increase in blood sugar level, it is effective for high blood pressure and diabetes.  It also decreases inflammation, throat swelling, and aches.

The fibers in burdock root are very tough and do not digest when eaten, so act as a great digestive cleanser.