Romance Under the Moonlight: health

Thursday, January 12, 2017

Health Topic: Magnesium, an awesome little pill #health

Magnesium: A lot of Awesome in a little pill

I discovered magnesium while I was researching ADHD. Not quite where you would expect a big, old, light mineral, huh? Turns out magnesium has a ton of health benefits. And not just for humans!

Magnesium makes up 2 percent of the Earth’s crust so it helps keep the Earth healthy, too. It’s a silvery, light metal which is often mixed with aluminum to make a very strong alloy. Ever had your car break down? Magnesium can be found in flares and fireworks. Hard to believe something that burns so easily could be so good for you, right?

But it is.

So what does magnesium do for you and me?

Research tells us magnesium helps keep blood pressure normal, makes our bones strong, and keeps our heart rhythms steady. This handy, little fiery mineral helps to reduce chronic pain and inflammation, too. Rumor has it that magnesium promotes a healthy heart, improves asthma, and helps fights osteoporosis. (That’s what you’ll find on the label) I bet Magnesium has a ‘thing’ for Calcium, too. (wink!)

Shockingly, just about everyone doesn’t get enough magnesium. Signs of a magnesium deficiency include: impaired memory, confusion, and cognitive function, irritability, irregular heartbeat, cramps, and vertigo. When it comes to lacking in good ol’ Mg (the chemical abbreviation for magnesium) these symptoms alone wouldn’t make me think I was lacking. Best way to determine if you’ve got a Mg deficiency is to get a blood test.

Where do you find Magnesium? Leave it in the Earth’s crust. The Earth needs all it can get. Here’s a list of healthy magnesium rich foods:

Bananas and Broccoli

Leafy green veggies like Spinach and avocados

Quinoa, seeds, and nuts

Dairy & meat

Or you can take a pill. I take a pill.

Female and over 31? You need 320 of Mg.

Male and over 31? You need 420 of Mg.

ADHD Children? The Progressive Health Website recommends 200 mg per day, however, other websites recommend 3 to 6 mg per pound. So, if you have an ADHD boy that weighs 70 pounds you need 560 mg at 6 mg per pound. At 3 mg per pound that would be 210 mg.

How does magnesium help ADHD kids?

Remember those symptoms of magnesium deficiency? Irritability? Confusion? Cognitive function? ADHD kids share these symptoms.

Interestingly, magnesium helps transmit messages along the nervous system. Increase the magnesium and increase the quality of the transmissions. Mg12 (magnesium is the 12^th element on the table) is calming to the body. Try an Epsom salt bath. Also, this fiery element helps the body make serotonin, a neurotransmitter that promotes balance. Low serotonin equals irritability and moodiness.

Mg12 improves attention since it helps the neurotransmitters fire on all cylinders. ;)

What if I take too much? Well, if you do, you might be nauseous, have diarrhea or muscle fatigue.

BIG TIP: Don’t take carbonated drinks when taking Mg12. It leaches the magnesium right out of you. Don’t take sugar either. Sugar does not help the body absorb Mg12. Antibotics are a no-no, too. Wait a couple of hours between taking antibiotics and Mg12 so they don’t interfere with each other.

I’ve started taking Mg12 and I’ve got no complaints. If anything, I’ve noticed I’m generally healthy and a lot less irritable.

Anyone else take Mg12? I’d love to hear how it’s helped you.

Smiles

Steph

Enjoy this 99 cent short story: A Polish Heart

Blurb: Will Sofia's faith give Darrin his heart back?

Opening Line: This was going to be the most challenging thing he'd ever done in his life.

Here's a link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007AS29AO

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Lifestyle: Benefits of Walking #lifestyle

Castaic Lake in the Fall

I love walking. When I was stationed in Germany during the late 1980’s, early 1990’s, I had an opportunity to participate in the many volksmarches across the nation. A volksmarch (German for “people’s march) is a non-competitive fitness walk. I remember you could do 10K (kilometers) (6.2 miles), 20K or a marathon. It would take me about 2 hours to walk a 10K. There were stops for brotchen and beer and I got to see the “heart” of Germany – quaint, little towns with rich history and architecture. I also had a chance to meet everyday Germans. Most appreciated our presence. I’ll never forget the time my friend, Jerri, and I met 2 men volksmarching. They dared us to guess their age. We said: “50ish.” They were in their 70’s! There was no way they looked a day over 55! They told us they’d been volksmarching all their lives and that’s why they were so young looking.

And that brings me right to my lifestyle topic: the benefits of walking.

Walking invigorates the body, mind, and spirit. A mere 30 minutes a day will work wonders. Walking helps: us to relax, manage stress, improves cardiovascular/heart health, lowers blood pressure, improves mood, improves cholesterol levels.

Now I know why those guys were so young!

WALKING TIPS:

A good, beginning walking pace is between 3.1 – 4 mph. Power walking is more recreational. Race walking is for serious athletic walkers/runners. Both require a heel-to-toe technique.

When starting, be mindful of “over striding.” That’s a lengthening of your stride. It’s not as efficient as you think it would be. Instead, use a powerful pushoff. I can honestly say, I’ve started using this technique, going heel-to-toe, keeping to my normal stride, and using a more powerful push off, and I’ve immediately improved my timed walks, cutting down between 1-2 minutes.

STRETCH BEFORE YOU GO!

Walking to Support Alzhiemers

Before you walk, stretch out. Some focused stretches include calf stretches, a side stretch, a gentle torso twist, quadriceps, and hamstring stretches.

Do I have walk 30 minutes straight?

No, you don’t. If anything, finding time in our busy lives can be challenging. It is for me. I usually go walking on my lunch break at work. Walking 10-15 minutes when you can, a couple of times a day, will give you the same benefits of 30 minutes straight walking.

If you’re a good walker, and looking to “up your game,” then you might consider hiking and incorporating inclines and an uneven terrain, but that’s a topic for another time.

Enjoy your walk!

Question for you: Are you a walker? A hiker? Do you have an exercise you’d like to recommend?

Stephanie Burkhart is a 911 dispatcher for LAPD. She’s published with Desert Breeze, 4RV Publishing and Victory Tales Press.

A POLISH HEART:

Can Sofia’s faith give Darrin his heart back? A sweet, contemporary romance for the spring/Easter season.

Reviews:

5 Stars, Tara Manderino, Amazon Reader, “A totally enjoyable read.”

5 Stars, Nancy Levine, Amazon Reader, “My grandfather was from Poland, but I have never been there, so I enjoyed reading about it as well as the customs about the Easter basket, etc.”

5 Stars, Billie Houston, Amazon Reader, “I love the warm-hearted tale.”

BOOK TRAILER: