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Fibromyalgia Monthly Newsletter
February 2004 - Fibromyalgia Newsletter
This month we are focusing on using calcium supplements effectively. We are told we need to take calcium from our foods and/or by supplementation to prevent osteoporosis. That is true, but what counts is the type of calcium we take, depending our metabolism and how well it is absorbed into the tissues.
What Foods Contain Calcium?
Here are a few figures of some high calcium containing dairy foods:
1 cup of milk = 250 mg. Ca.
1 cup yogurt = 250 mg. Ca.
1 cup cottage cheese = 100 mg. Ca.
1 ounce Swiss cheese = 250 mg. Ca.
1 ounce mozzarella cheese = 150 mg. Ca.
1 ounce cheddar or Muenster cheese = 200 mg. Ca.
If you have lactose intolerance you many have trouble digesting the sugar in milk and dairy products, because your body may lack the enzyme lactase. Symptoms of lactose intolerance are nausea, gas, or diarrhea soon after eating or drinking foods containing lactose. If you have these symptoms focus on getting your dietary calcium from these foods:
1 cup fortified orange juice = 300 mg. Ca.
1 cup of black beans or navy beans = 120 mg. Ca.
3.5 ounces tofu = 100 mg. Ca.
3 ounces canned salmon with bones = 150 mg. Ca.
½ cup of cooked kale = 90 mg. Ca.
1 cup cooked spinach = 150 mg. Ca.
1 cup cooked collards or dandelion greens = 250 mg. Ca.
1 med. stalk broccoli = 100 mg. Ca.
1 Tb. blackstrap molasses = 100 mg. Ca.
Which other Minerals work with Calcium to make it more absorbable?
Calcium is best absorbed when combined with a number of other minerals. That is why it is good to get calcium from food sources. Whole foods (not fortified) automatically contain a good complement of minerals, as nature intended. That is why eating a variety of vegetables for daily minerals is important.
For Calcium absorption, Magnesium is the most important minerals needed. Calcium and magnesium when combined in a supplement should be taken in 2 parts calcium to 1 part magnesium ratio. That means that if you have 1000 mg. of calcium then you should combine in with 500 mg. of magnesium. Many higher quality supplements do have this ratio of calcium to magnesium. Calcium also works best when combine with other minerals such as zinc, manganese, silica, and boron. These trace minerals help to break down the calcium so that it can get into the cells properly, and not be stored in the blood vessel walls.
What type of Calcium supplement can my body absorb best? Do I really need Vitamin D?
Calcium carbonate is the most common form of calcium used in supplements, because it is the cheapest. It is basically the same type of calcium found in oyster shells, chalk, and coral reefs. All of these sources do contain calcium but not in an absorbable form unless combined with certain other nutrients, and if you have a certain saliva or urine pH level. So purchasing a supplement with just Calcium carbonate without knowing your average urine and saliva pH levels may be doing you more harm than good.
When urine and saliva pH readings are both in the very acid levels (between 5 and 5.8 for urine, and between 5.0 and 6.0 saliva) then you can use Calcium Carbonate when it contains an abundant amount of Vitamin D (400 mg.). Yet, you do not want to maintain your pH levels in this area for any length of time.
When your urine and saliva pH readings are normal (between 6.0 and 6.4 for urine, and 6.4 to 6.8 for saliva) then you would benefit more from a Calcium Phosphate or Calcium Citrate formula. If you are taking a Calcium Carbonate supplement with normal pH readings then you are wasting your money and damaging your arteries and capillaries.
I recommend to my clients different forms of calcium supplements. One of my favorites is Cal Apatite with Magnesium. This blend is a calcium phosphate (400 mg in 2 capsules) with magnesium (200 mg.) For osteoporosis magnesium is important since it plays an important role in bone metabolism, with over one-half of the total body stores of magnesium found in bone tissue. And this blend has magnesium glcyinate, citrate and aspartate for better absorption. Also in this blend is 1000 mg. of microcrystalline hydroxapatite concentrate (MCHC), which is a special blend of calcium, phosphorus and trace minerals to strengthen bones.
Ideally, you do not even need over 1000 mg. of calcium per day if you are taking it in the right form for your pH readings. I do a urine test for my clients to measure their urinary calcium levels, and I have found that having the right formula that matches their pH readings makes a huge difference in the absorption rate of the calcium and other minerals.
Featured Educational Product of the Month
If you are interested in measuring your pH readings and seeing how your diet is affecting your health, look at getting either a Quick 'n Easy Patterns of Stress Testing Kit, or the Deluxe Patterns of Stress Testing Kit available, on the website www.NaturalChoicesForFibromyalgia.com The Quick 'n Easy Patterns of Stress Testing Kit will explain how to use pH paper, and contains charts and graphs to record your diet and see if it affecting your health profile in the areas of immune stress, joint and muscle stress, circulatory stress, or toxic stress. The Deluxe Patterns of Stress Testing Kit contains additional tests for measuring deeper metabolism imbalances. Both kits come with pH paper, directions, charts, and highlighter pens.
Featured Supplement of the Month - Cal Apatite with Magnesium
This blend of calcium with magnesium is very beneficial for anyone with muscle weakness or pain. Magnesium is needed to reduce stress in the muscles and when combined with the absorbable calcium in this formula it is used effectively. You can go to the website Dr. Jane Oelke's Meta E-Health website to order this formula.
Natural Choices for Fibromyalgia Newsletter – November 2004
Presented to you by: Jane Oelke, N.D., Ph.D.
As the holiday season approaches, and all this talk about the lack of flu vaccine, it is very important to prevent cold and flu and other “bugs” from affecting us. If you have fibromyalgia pain you especially need to remember that any extra stress on your system tends to make your muscles more hypersensitive to pain. This is due to the free radicals that are created from these stresses.
If your fibromyalgia symptoms are made worse with exercise or emotional stress, illnesses that affect your immune system will often affect the pain response also. So just when you need to rest and recuperate, you end up having too much pain to do so.
Free radicals made up from hydroxyl ions are the type that affects fibromyalgia pain. In order to reduce these hydroxyl free radicals you need to get more oxygen to your muscle cells. Without enough oxygen the muscle fibers become hard and dry. The free radicals actually create the same chemical compound as Oven Cleaner (Na OH) when excess sodium is available in the diet. We need to find ways to get more antioxidants and minerals in combination into our body to fight off these free radicals.
This is why many fibromyalgia supplements mix together magnesium and malic acid. The combination of this muscle relaxing mineral and the fruit acid found mainly in apples helps to get more oxygen to the cells. A study in the Journal of Rheumatology (1995) found that fibromyalgia symptoms were reduced in patients taking dosages of malic acid of 1600 to 2400 milligrams daily with about 400 to 600 mg of magnesium.
Various companies have specific fibromyalgia formulas that contain these two ingredients plus other components to help these nutrients be absorbed better. Immune Support’s Pro Health Formula called FM Relief adds some anti-inflammatory herbs and nutrients so that you get the benefit of more oxygen and less inflammation from tissue breakdown. FM Relief adds 5-HTP for better brain energy and sleep ability, glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM for connective tissue health, and boswellin, curcumin (tumeric) and white willow bark to reduce inflammatory processes.
Fibroplex by Metagenics adds thiamine, vitamin B6, and manganese to their formula. It is recommended to take six tables of these a day, two, three times per day to get the amount of magnesium and malic acid that was required to gain benefit according to the study in the Rheumatology Journal. To get the added benefit found in FM Relief you can add Inflavonoid Intensive Care, which was discussed in the last newsletter as the Vioxx alternative for inflammatory pain reduction without the Vioxx side effects. You can learn more about Fibroplex by linking to: Dr. Jane Oelke's Meta E-Health website
The clients that I work with who have Fibromyalgia have seen the most improvement when they decide to follow a combined or integrative approach. I help them reduce built up stress using homeopathic remedies and nutritional supplements. Then I recommend them to see a massage therapist who works with fibromyalgia clients to help improve circulation in the muscle tissues. If you feel tight especially around the neck area, get a massage! With the holidays coming, if people do not know what to get you for Christmas, tell them to buy you a one-hour massage. It will do your body good!
Jane Oelke, N.D., Ph.D.
Natural Choices, Inc.
"Building Your Health Naturally"
DoctorOelke@aol.com
www.NaturalChoicesForYou.com
www.NaturalChoicesForFibromyalgia.com
1-888-893-7225
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