Archive for August, 2010

Minerals: Magnesium

Sunday, August 29th, 2010

Over the past few weeks we’ve been discussing the fat soluble and water soluble vitamins. This week, we’re going toartichoke-2 shift gears and start discussing minerals.

To recap let’s review the difference between a vitamin and mineral.  A vitamin is any compound that contains carbon and therefore is organic.  There are two classes of vitamins…fat soluble A, D, E and K or water soluble, B and C.

Minerals on the other hand do not contain carbon and are what we call inorganic.  There are macro- minerals and micro-minerals.  Macro-minerals are calcium, chloride, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and sodium.  Micro-minerals are:  chromium, iron, copper, zinc, iodine, manganese, molybdenum, selenium and iron.

There are many factors that can decrease the absorption of vitamins and minerals which include:  alcohol, caffeine, antibiotics, stress, corticosteroids, aspirin, diuretics, oral contraceptives, sugar and tobacco.  Therefore if your lifestyle includes any of these factors and you are not well there could be a good chance that you are not absorbing your essential nutrients.  You will learn over the next few weeks the critical affect that each of the vitamins and mineral have over the health of your body.

This week we will be discussing Magnesium

Magnesium is found throughout the body, particularly in the bones and teeth.  Magnesium is needed throughout every system in the body over 300 different enzymes use magnesium for biochemical reactions.

What it Does:

  • Gives bones and teeth their structure
  • Needed for relaxation in all muscles
  • Needed for regulating heartbeat
  • Needed for nerve transmission
  • Helps decrease blood pressure

Absorbing and Utilizing Magnesium:

  • Magnesium is best absorbed on an empty stomach or at bedtime.
  • If you are taking calcium supplements make sure to be supplementing with magnesium as well.

Found In:  spinach, swiss chard, arugula, navy beans, pumpkin seeds, artichokes, seaweed and flax seeds just to name a few.

It’s important to mention that toxicity from magnesium is not common. If you suffer from kidney disease then you do need to be careful that you body is eliminating.

If you have any questions regarding which supplements you should or should not be taking feel free to contact us to set up a consultation.  650.224.6886 or 650.207.7727

 

 

 

Picture by: http://www.epicurean.com/articles/images/artichoke.gif

Reference:  The power of nutrient dense food by Patti Weller

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Minerals: Iron

Saturday, August 21st, 2010

Over the past few weeks we’ve been beef-recipes1discussing the fat soluble and water soluble vitamins. We’ve now moved on to discussing the minerals.

To recap let’s review the difference between a vitamin and mineral.  A vitamin is any compound that contains carbon and therefore is organic.  There are two classes of vitamins…fat soluble A, D, E and K or water soluble, B and C.

Minerals on the other hand do not contain carbon and are what we call inorganic.  There are macro- minerals and micro-minerals.  Macro-minerals are calcium, chloride, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and sodium.  Micro-minerals are:  chromium, iron, copper, zinc, iodine, manganese, molybdenum, selenium and iron.

There are many factors that can decrease the absorption of vitamins and minerals which include:  alcohol, caffeine, antibiotics, stress, corticosteroids, aspirin, diuretics, oral contraceptives, sugar and tobacco.  Therefore if your lifestyle includes any of these factors and you are not well there could be a good chance that you are not absorbing your essential nutrients.  You will learn over the next few weeks the critical affect that each of the vitamins and mineral have over the health of your body.

This week we will be discussing Iron

Iron is found in our bodies mostly in hemoglobin (the iron-containing substance in red blood cells that transports oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body). Some is also stored in the liver, spleen, and bone marrow.

What it Does:

  • Needed to form hemoglobin which carries oxygen throughout the body
  • Needed by enzymes for protein metabolism
  • Needed to convert beta-carotene to retinol (vitamin A)
  • Beneficial for the respiratory and immune systems
  • Helps prevent cardiovascular disease

Absorbing and Utilizing Iron:

  • Iron from plant foods has a significantly lower absorption rate than iron from animals. It’s best to eat plant and animal sources of iron together.
  • Vitamin C, copper, cobalt, and manganese increase absorption of iron.
  • Adequate hydrochloric acid in the stomach increases absorption of iron. BEWARE OF ANTACIDS!

Found In: clams, oysters, tofu, shrimp, beef, potato skins, peas, lentils, mushrooms

It’s important to mention that iron can produce toxicity in high doses, particularly with the intake of supplements rather than iron rich foods. Therefore, it is best not to supplement with iron unless you know for sure that you have low levels based upon lab testing.

In Health,

Dorothy Lizak

Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

Resource:  The Power of Nutrient Dense Food by Pattie Weller, C.C.N

Photo: Thank you to http://petersmeats.com.au/images/beef-recipes.jpg

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Minerals: Copper

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

raspberryOver the past few weeks we’ve been discussing the fat soluble and water soluble vitamins. This week, we’re going to shift gears and start discussing minerals.

To recap let’s review the difference between a vitamin and mineral.  A vitamin is any compound that contains carbon and therefore is organic.  There are two classes of vitamins…fat soluble A, D, E and K or water soluble, B and C.

Minerals on the other hand do not contain carbon and are what we call inorganic.  There are macro- minerals and micro-minerals.  Macro-minerals are calcium, chloride, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and sodium.  Micro-minerals are:  chromium, iron, copper, zinc, iodine, manganese, molybdenum, selenium and iron.

There are many factors that can decrease the absorption of vitamins and minerals which include:  alcohol, caffeine, antibiotics, stress, corticosteroids, aspirin, diuretics, oral contraceptives, sugar and tobacco.  Therefore if your lifestyle includes any of these factors and you are not well there could be a good chance that you are not absorbing your essential nutrients.  You will learn over the next few weeks the critical affect that each of the vitamins and mineral have over the health of your body.

This week we will be discussing Copper

Copper is found throughout the body, particularly in the brain, liver and muscles.  Copper is used to help treat arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, fatigue, anemia and allergies.

What it Does: Copper performs many functions throughout the body we will be listing just a few examples

  • Needed to form hemoglobin which carries oxygen throughout the body
  • Helps with respiration
  • Helps to form collagen within the bones
  • Needed to convert the inactive thyroid hormone to the active form
  • Helps with inflammation by regulating histamine levels
  • Lowers cholesterol
  • Anti-diabetic
  • Needed to get iron out of the liver

Absorbing and Utilizing Copper:

  • An adequate intake of protein and fresh veggies is needed to help copper be absorbed in the body.
  • Access manganese and zinc will interfere with the absorption of copper

Found In: beets, pumpkin, flax seeds, green peas, raspberries, mangos, sweet potato, almonds

It’s important to mention that copper can produce toxicity in high doses.  Therefore, it is best not to supplement copper unless you know for sure that you have low levels based upon lab testing.

Another important point to state is that high fructose corn syrup which is found in many products that have a shelf life interferes with the absorption of copper.  Therefore, make sure to read your labels!

 

Resource:  The Power of Nutrient Dense Food by Pattie Weller, C.C.N

 

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Minerals: Calcium

Sunday, August 8th, 2010

Over the past few weeks we’ve been inside_products_kalediscussing the fat soluble and water soluble vitamins. This week, we’re going to shift gears and start discussing minerals.

To recap lets review the difference between a vitamin and mineral.  A vitamin is any compound that contains carbon and therefore is organic.  There are two classes of vitamins…fat soluble A, D, E and K or water soluble, B and C.

Minerals on the other hand do not contain carbon and are what we call inorganic.  There are macro- minerals and micro-minerals.  Macro-minerals are calcium, chloride, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and sodium.  Micro-minerals are:  chromium, iron, copper, zinc, iodine, manganese, molybdenum, selenium and iron.

There are many factors that can decrease the absorption of vitamins and minerals which include:  alcohol, caffeine, antibiotics, stress, corticosteroids, aspirin, diuretics, oral contraceptives, sugar and tobacco.  Therefore if you lifestyle includes any of these factors and you are not well there could be a good chance that you are not absorbing your essential nutrients.  You will learn over the next few weeks the critical effect that each of the vitamins and mineral have over the health of your body.

This week we will be discussing Calcium

This week we’ll begin by discussing the most abundant mineral in our bodies: calcium. We have about 3 pounds of calcium in our bodies. About 99% is found in our bones while the other 1% is found in other tissue and blood.

What it Does:

  • Significant part of the structure of bones and teeth
  • Needed for contraction of all muscles, including the heart
  • Needed for regular heart beat
  • Needed for nerve transmission
  • Nedded for cell division
  • Needed to clot the blood
  • Helps reduce cholesterol
  • Helps prevent formation of plaques on blood vessel walls
  • Helps reduce blood pressure

Absorbing and Utilizing Calcium:

  • Need an adequate amount of vitamin D, A and C and magnesium
  • adequate hydrochloric acid
  • High stress, gastrointestinal problems, excess salt and excess sugar all negatively impact calcium absorption and utilization.

Found In: tofu, yogurt, milk, cheese, turnip greens, kale, cabbage, salmon, cactus, oranges

It’s important to mention that the majority of the world’s population has an intolerance to milk and/or milk products. As with any food intolerance or allergy, it’s critical to avoid these food items, otherwise this can lead to a breakdown in the protective mucosal lining in your intestine which can cause inflammation, pain, bloating, cramps which will lead to hormone imbalances and a slew of other unwanted symptoms.

The good new is that you can still get a good amount of calcium from non dairy food items (including those listed above). For those of you in the San Francisco area, join us for our upcoming seminar “You Are What You Eat” to learn more about the connection between food and health at Core Pilates in San Francisco Saturday 8/14/2010  at 12:00pm. You can also give us a call to discuss your symptoms or health needs.

Dorothy Lizak

Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

Resource:  The Power of Nutrient Dense Food by Pattie Weller, C.C.N

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