Keys to Optimum Health » Diabete http://www.consor2005.com Sat, 17 Oct 2009 11:03:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.1 en hourly 1 The Magnesium Migraine Connection http://www.consor2005.com/134/the-magnesium-migraine-connection http://www.consor2005.com/134/the-magnesium-migraine-connection#comments Sat, 17 Oct 2009 11:03:02 +0000 admin http://www.consor2005.com/?p=134 So what is the magnesium migraine connection? There are many theories about how magnesium is involved in migraine headache. What seems to be well accepted is that there are receptor sites in the brain that magnesium will bind to. These sites are normally excitatory in nature and the binding of magnesium seems to calm them down. Severe lack of magnesium in the brain has been known to cause everything from apathy to psychosis in psychiatric conditions and can even cause seizures.

Unfortunately up to 85% of all migraineurs are magnesium deficient. The levels of magnesium in the blood do not correlate to that in the fluid of the brain, so if you ask your doctor to check your levels, don’t be surprised if he or she tries to put you off a bit.

How did you become magnesium deficient? While we don’t know why migraineurs are more deficient in magnesium compared to the rest of the population, there are some things that can cause this. The most common cause is inadequate intake through diet. For most people this is easily solved by eating a healthy diet and taking a multivitamin. Unfortunately, other conditions can lead to low magnesium including diabetes and alcoholism, both of which cause more magnesium to leave the body through the kidneys. The following medications can also result in more magnesium leaving the body through the kidneys: diuretics, aminoglycosides, cisplatin, digoxin, cyclosporin, and amphotericin B.

Many people are confused as to which type of magnesium to take for their migraines. Some forms are not well tolerated and can cause stomach problems. At the present time, the best tolerated type is magnesium citrate. This form of magnesium seems to lessen the well known side effect of diarrhea which occurs about 10% of the time.

Most experts agree that the minimum daily intake of magnesium for migraineurs should be 400mg. Many of the studies done in the late ’80’s were at this dose and did show a significant reduction in headaches. The research from more recent years has indicated that up to 800mg per day may reduce migraine frequency and pain. Of particular interest is the fact that magnesium seems to be effective in menstrual migraine and for barometric pressure headache One study showed that menstrual migraineurs dip their levels of magnesium even further during the menstrual week. No wonder that headache is so bad.

Again, if you choose to use magnesium to help your headaches, remember to give it a least 90 days to have the full benefit. It takes the brain that long to make changes. Dietary intake will also help and this is found in green vegetables, beans and whole grains. Prolonged use of supplements of magnesium should be balanced with calcium intake as over time magnesium has the potential to pull calcium from the bones.

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]]> http://www.consor2005.com/134/the-magnesium-migraine-connection/feed 0 Heart Bypass and Cardiovascular disease http://www.consor2005.com/18/heart-bypass-and-cardiovascular-disease http://www.consor2005.com/18/heart-bypass-and-cardiovascular-disease#comments Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:40:27 +0000 admin http://www.consor2005.com/?p=18 The term Cardiovascular Disease covers a large number of diseases that directly affect the heart and the blood vessel system. It especially affects the veins and arteries that lead to and from the heart. Research has suggested that women who suffer with cardiovascular disease usually suffer from forms that affect the blood vessels. While men usually suffer from forms that affect the heart muscle itself. Other known or associated causes of cardiovascular disease include diabetes mellitus, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia.

Heart disease and strokes are other common cardiovascular diseases. Two independent risk factors that have a major impact for heart diseases, cardiovascular diseases, are high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol.Now day’s heart disease does not have to be a death sentence. There are healthy lifestyle choices that can be made and science has come a long way in the early detection of heart disease.

There is a type of heart surgery, sometimes called CABG (”cabbage”). The surgery reroutes, or “bypasses,” blood around clogged arteries to improve blood flow and oxygen to the heart.

The arteries that bring blood to the heart muscle (coronary arteries) can become clogged by plaque (a buildup of fat, cholesterol plus other substances). This can then slow or stop blood flow through the heart’s blood vessels, leading to chest pain or a heart attack. Increasing blood flow to the heart muscle can relieve chest pain and also reduce the risk of heart attack.

Surgeons take a segment of a healthy blood vessel from another part of the body, and then make a detour around the blocked part of the coronary artery. An artery may be detached from the chest wall and the open end attached to the coronary artery below the blocked area. Or a piece of a long vein in your leg may be taken. One end is sewn onto the large artery leaving your heart – the aorta. The other end of the vein is attached or “grafted” to the coronary artery below the blocked area.

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]]> http://www.consor2005.com/18/heart-bypass-and-cardiovascular-disease/feed 4 Metabolic Syndrome http://www.consor2005.com/5/metabolic-syndrome http://www.consor2005.com/5/metabolic-syndrome#comments Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:27:45 +0000 admin http://www.consor2005.com/?p=5 Researchers have found certain variables play an important role in a person’s chances of developing heart disease. These variables are called risk factors. In recent years, researchers have found that some of these heart disease risk factors cluster together in certain people. This clustering of risk factors is known as metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is also called Reaven syndrome, insulin resistance syndrome, or Metabolic Syndrome X.

People with metabolic syndrome have a clustering of the following risk factors:

  • Central obesity (extra weight around the stomach)
  • Diabetes or glucose intolerance
  • High levels of triglycerides and low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL or “good cholesterol”) in the bloodstream
  • High Blood Pressure (hypertension)

There is still much to be learned about metabolic syndrome. Doctors do know that people with metabolic syndrome have an increased risk of heart attack or coronary artery disease.

Researchers think that metabolic syndrome maybe a genetic condition. This means that the genes are passed down from one generation to the next. For the most part doctors do not fully understand why metabolic syndrome happens.

People with insulin-resistant conditions, such as diabetes and hyperinsulinemia are more likely to have metabolic syndrome. Diabetes is a condition where the body cannot make or respond properly to the hormone insulin. Hyperinsulinemia is a condition where large amounts of insulin are pumped into the bloodstream. What are the signs of metabolic syndrome?

Patients with metabolic syndrome will not feel any symptoms. But there are signs that might lead doctors to a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome.

Doctors can check your HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, and weight, all of which are warning signs of metabolic syndrome. You may also need blood tests to measure the levels of glucose and insulin in your bloodstream.

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