Mitochondrial Function and Blockages

As some of you will know, Mitochondrial Function (or should I say Dysfunction!) can be a source of several problems for ME/CFS sufferers, the most notable being a lack of available energy!!  Respected M.E./CFS specialist Dr. Myhill even says that it is the 'cental cause' in M.E./CFS.

I had my 3rd Mitochondrial Function test back this week, and the great thing is, now my Mitochondrial function is at the level of a normal healthy person! However, I do still get symptoms.  This underlines the fact that recovery from this condition is not just purely about sorting out nutritional imbalances.  It's also about addressing the psychological element, dealing with the underlying anxieties and stresses in our current environment, which are burdening our system.  I've already done a post on this which you can read here.  I'll do another one on 'Common M.E. Thought Patterns' soon.  It's also important to address the physical re-conditioning aspect when you are at the right stage of recovery. Chances are you haven't been hugely active for a while.  This is where the exercise comes in. I talk about this and the importance of it being done in a graded and considered way in another previous post - click here.

My aim in this post is to talk about potential blockages that stop your Mitcohondria from functioning properly.  I can only talk about my personal experience, as I'm not a Nutritionist or Doctor with vast experience about this, nor am I claiming to be.  I have a blockage of about 10% outside the normal healthy range in my system, which causes certain elements/substances to stick to my DNA, meaning my ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) isn't being recycled to it's optimum level.  Therefore my consistent access to energy is still suboptimal..to an extent.  I know this sounds really scientific and confusing..to be honest, I don't properly understand it either.


This, on top of the physical re-conditioning I still need to do and psychological work, is certainly contributing to the fact I'm still experiencing symptoms.  The blockage they found in me relates to petrol, vehicle exhausts, furniture waxes, air fresheners and Benzoates...basically any toxic cleaning materials haha!  Therefore I've taken responsibility to make my house as clean as humanly possible! I've decided to replace these toxic cleaning materials with home made alternatives :

Kitchen &  Bathroom Cleaner :

• 1 Spray Bottle
• 3 Tablespoons Vinegar
• Squeeze of 1/2 a lemon
• Water

Place in a large spray bottle and shake vigorously.

Homemade Dusting Spray : 

• 1 Spray Bottle 
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
• 30-40 drops essential oil, optional (clove, orange, lemon, etc)

Place in a large spray bottle and shake vigorously. Spray directly on furniture (being careful of overspray) and buff with a clean, dry cloth.

Plants : 

I read that plants literally eat up pollutants in your house, so I've now got a few in my room, living room and dining room.  It also makes the rooms look a bit nicer.

Baths : 

No more Radox bubble bath..just pure Epsom Salts

Avoiding Benzoates : 

I plan to do this by simply avoiding anything Benzoate related in preservatives ie Benzoic Acid, Sodium Benzoate etc.


Avoiding Pollution : 

Well..this is pretty much impossible. Living in London, one of the busiest Cities in the world, and being under a flight path, means I'm always going to be in contact with pollution.  However, I've lived here my whole life, and I was pretty damn healthy for 21 years of it, so I'm sure I can survive a few more pollutants here and there! You become more resistant to pollutants as you get stronger anyway.


Let's clear as much of this blockage as possible!

P.S. If you are interested in getting your Mitochondrial function tested and getting support in normalising it, the best thing to do would be to get in contact with either Dr. Myhill's clinic here, or with the Nutrition Team at The Optimum Health Clinic here.

Adam

x

My story...so far!

I've been blogging now for almost 2 years and only today realised that I'd never actually shared my story with you wonderful people!

I find sharing one's story can be of real therapeutic value, not only to the writer, but also to readers who may well be in a similar situation.  It's a great way of getting your experience 'out there' as it were, and it's perhaps something that is a bit long overdue!

Ideally when recovered, I'd really like to publish a book of my experience through ME/CFS, my ups/my downs, how I found the answers, and how it changed me as a person, not just physically and mentally, but also spiritually and emotionally.  Maybe this blog post would be a good starting point...a practice run! I suppose I'm also writing this in the hope that it will encourage others to share their stories too. They can be so inspiring. So here goes..

Me about 2 months before getting ill with M.E./CFS. Flying off a rope-swing in Fiji, where I'd been working that summer. I was very physically active in my teenage years

As a young child and teenager I'd been pretty healthy.  Had the odd bouts of Tonsillitis and colds, but who doesn't at that age.  I was very active in the sporting arena, representing my school in Rugby and Cricket, whilst also playing men's football for a club in my area.  I had the highest stamina (or amongst the highest in my year!)  I won the 400m in my age group at sports day 3 years running (I don't write this to boast, just to emphasise how high my fitness levels were! :-) ) I pushed myself hard academically, getting A's at A Levels. I had very high standards for myself, and whatever I achieved, never seemed to be enough. I always had my eye on the next goal...the next challenge.  I suppose you could call me a very Type A personality - which is very common for people who have gone through this condition.  First year of uni flew by - drank a lot, made some great friends, had some great experiences, enjoyed my independence. It was probably the best year of my life.  I travelled to Fiji that summer (2009), and worked as a teacher over there.  It was great fun.  Once back in the UK, 2nd year was fast approaching, and I started thinking about what career might suit me best.

Then everything changed. I fell extremely ill with Gastro-enteritis. It was so bad that I could barely get out of bed (interestingly prior to this, I'd had an underlying cold for a few weeks.)  I was completely drained.  I improved somewhat, but then a week later I contracted Glandular Fever.  Double whammy.  I was so ill I couldn't even leave the house, or my room for a long time.  This period is still very hazy to me.  I think the trauma of all the unexplained symptoms, no energy, and constant dizziness has caused my conscious mind to block it out.  I kept thinking, 'What's wrong with me?' 'Why am I getting these symptoms?' 'What's happened to my energy?'  I was literally in the crash and burn phases of the illness.  In hindsight, I really should have really rested and just slept, but I just plowed on through - there was work to be done, therefore I had to do it.  The next 4 months were a mixture of unexplained painful symptoms, extreme levels of anxiety, a heavy workload, and 4 Red Bull a day.  In this first year of illness, I went through several relapses and just tried to push through everything, not realising that constantly pushing was making my symptoms worse.

Me on the far right about 2-3 months into illness...looking quite concerned! I was experiencing pretty severe symptoms at this time, always fearing I was going to collapse or get worse.

I just wanted to psychologically escape the fact that I was pretty severely ill at this point, and it did that by pushing myself like I used to.One constant problem above all else was recurrent Tonsillitis every two weeks - I could have set up my own pharmacy with the number of anti-biotics I'd been prescribed!  This first year was really tough. There was so much confusion and fear as to what was wrong with me and how I could change my situation.  I didn't realise at the time that the constant fear and anxiety about my situation was making things worse.  I somehow managed to play football still for my University team.  Even though I knew it wasn't supporting me, being active and sporty was part of my identity, and I didn't want to lose it! It was a massive struggle, I'd lost pace, and I could feel pretty awful for days after playing a game.  I remember one game where I only managed 10 minutes before I had to stop.  I was a classic 'push through the pain' case.  

I then came across meditation. This actually helped me somewhat, as it (unknown to me at the time) calmed my nervous system down. I also altered my diet to basically 'eat healthier,' without incurring upon myself any exclusions, such as gluten or sugar free.  My diet was still pretty bad, just not as bad as it was - Iceland microwave meals, KFC, and Pot Noodle).  I managed to get through Uni..just about.  However, I'd only really improved a very small amount, and was still very chronically ill.  Perhaps the biggest hinderance at this point was that I still wasn't listening to my body!

Being the typical Type A personality that I was, I decided to look for full-time work..even though I clearly wasn't well enough!  I managed to get through University, but in all honesty, my course required only a few contact hours a week, and a few essays a term.  It almost tricked me into thinking I was better than I actually was.  I got a rude awakening when I went into working life!  I decided to give advertising a shot, as it was something that genuinely interested me and judging by the series 'Mad Men,' looked like it involved lots of client lunches and Scotch.  I worked for a couple of great companies, but I really struggled through, often in extreme physical pain, and feeling intense brain fog, amongst a high level of anxiety and stress about my symptoms.  As my symptoms worsened, my job responsibilities increased.  Unknown to me at the time, by trying to fight my symptoms and resist them, I was simply causing them to intensify and worsen - it was a vicious cycle.  During this period I tried all sorts to cure me of this malady - Acupuncture, Bodywork, Osteopathy, The Lightning Process - you name it I tried it! None seemed to have a positive impact..

I simply couldn't work anymore. Even getting out of bed was a massive challenge, and a painful one.  I had to stop and work on improving my health.  As many of you Type A's will understand, this was a massively hard decision, as by giving up the ability to work and achieve, we are essentially giving up much of our identity and how we define ourselves in that moment.  Unfortunately during my notice period, my employer decided to lump about 6 months work upon my shoulders.  This made me even worse physically, and I actually recall a week before my last day, going to the nearest pub after work and sinking about 4 pints (and feeling even worse!) That was a real low point for me..

I took a month off to relax and re-evaluate.   This was where my turnaround began.  Up to this point I had 3 and a half years of no improvement, and worsening of symptoms.  I was lucky enough to come across The Optimum Health Clinic in North London, through a YouTube video I think.  I initially signed up for their Practitioner Training, as I wanted to work in the field of Therapy, and ideally with people looking to improve their health.  I soon found that this clinic was really at the forefront of M.E. research, and I could see that they offered some fantastic treatment (NLP, EFT, Hypnotherapy, Coaching.)  I soon signed up as a patient, having seen the numerous recovery stories.  I started working with one of their Nutritionists.  This was when I first noticed a change.  My gut had been an absolute state for around 4 years, but once I got on the nutritional plan, within a few months that seemed to sort itself out.  I was found to have Mitochondrial Dysfunction, so we treated that too.  At this point, I also learnt that I needed to slow down, pace myself more, and listen to my body.  This I have found is vital in improving your symptoms and condition.  I also had a few sessions with one of the Psychology Practitioners, and was taught tools to help calm my system down. This took out a lot of the anxiety that I'd been feeling around symptoms etc.  Progress was slow, but at least it was progress.  It got me up to around the 75% mark.  However, something was still missing, as I was still falling into 'Booming and Busting' patterns.  I was referred to an exercise physiotherapist in October 2014 who specialised in CFS.  When I first started working with her I could only manage 8 minutes walking a day without my symptoms getting a fair bit worse.  4 or so months later, I'm up to 26 minutes a day (without my symptoms worsening), plus 1-2 hours work per day, and Yoga 2-3 times per week.  Tangible progress.  I still have a fair way to go on this, as once I get to 30 mins per day, I gently and incrementally increase the intensity, until I'm jogging everyday and doing some resistance training without a worsening of symptoms.  To reinforce my belief systems, I also regularly read and listen to recovery stories (and they are plentiful these days :-) ) They offer such great wisdom and advice.  I also consistently use the tools I've been taught at The Optimum Health Clinic to help reduce anxiety levels around symptoms etc.

I suppose I wrote this to highlight that change is possible, even when it can seem impossible at times.  The number of times I had tried something new with no success, and went home beating myself up about it were innumerable.  I've had some pretty dark nights of the soul in the last few years, but things are now looking much more positive and structured.  I think I found things that work for me because I kept on believing and never gave up.  Belief is a powerful thing, and it's up to us to harness the positive aspects of belief.

Hope you enjoyed reading.



Adam
x      







  

Epsom Salts : Granny was Right!

"I'm really old-fashioned. An Epsom Salt bath, that genuinely better than any massage." Emilia Clarke

I remember a couple of years ago (although in hindsight it feels like a lifetime ago!), when a Consultant Rheumatologist I was seeing at the time recommended Epsom Salt baths to me.  I was pretty chronically ill at this point. My condition was deteriorating further.  I was forced to give up my job in Advertising, I was completely financially broke, and had no prospects of how or when I would get well.  All I knew at that point was that I was in pretty big trouble and there wasn't a magic pill that would make this daily hell go away.  I was desperate to find answers to turn my situation around.  I tried some pretty 'out there' things, but I hadn't really found anything that gave me much relief from this chronic pain and all these symptoms that had become my life at that point.  

I'd already put up with the Consultant's weekly Magnesium injections, which felt like lead being pumped into my muscles, and I was literally doing anything I could to get better. (I didn't care how loopy people thought I was, I'd try anything)

The Magnesium injections made no difference unfortunately (and they weren't cheap at £125 a pop!), but the Epsom Salts did..slowly..

When I went to the Pharmacy next door to purchase my first tub, the lady at the till said, "Are you buying that for your Nan..? This stuff is for muscle sores and pain Son..."  If only she knew I felt like 108 inside at that time! (Anyone who has had M.E. or has it will get what I mean)

So..I started trying these Epsom Salts.  First off I followed the instructions on the box, scooping a whole kilo in my boiling hot bath, and soaked for 20 minutes. BIG MISTAKE!! I had a massive detox reaction, with a huge flare up of symptoms, and was back in bed for a few days.  It taught me two things :

1) That this stuff was powerful

2) That it was to be respected!!

People going through M.E./CFS, especially in the earlier stages, can be very prone to chemical sensitivities.  Those of you who have been on supplements, will have ~I'm sure experienced nasty die off symptoms when introducing something new too quickly or in too large a dose.  This is what I suspect happened when I had that first Epsom Salts bath, and it taught me a valuable lesson - start small and build up slowly.  Remember, the tortoise always wins the race. And I'd say take this approach with your health more generally - if you're suffering from chronic illness or not.  

You don't need to climb Everest in a day..if you do you'll just burn yourself out and have to start over again.  If we take it one step at a time, and acknowledge the steps we are taking, no matter how slowly, we can acknowledge we are making progress.

Researchers and physicians suggest these health benefits from proper magnesium and sulfate levels, as listed on the web site of the Epsom Salt Industry Council:

• Improved heart and circulatory health, reducing irregular heartbeats, preventing hardening of the arteries, reducing blood clots and lowering blood pressure.

• Improved ability for the body to use insulin, reducing the incidence or severity of diabetes.

• Flushed toxins and heavy metals from the cells, easing muscle pain and helping the body to eliminate harmful substances.

• Improved nerve function by electrolyte regulation. Also, calcium is the main conductor for electrical current in the body, and magnesium is necessary to maintain proper calcium levels in the blood.

• Relieved stress. Excess adrenaline and stress are believed to drain magnesium, a natural stress reliever, from the body. Magnesium is necessary for the body to bind adequate amounts of serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical within the brain that creates a feeling of well being and relaxation.

• Reduced inflammation to relieve pain and muscle cramps.

• Improved oxygen use.

• Improved absorption of nutrients.

• Improved formation of joint proteins, brain tissue and mucin proteins.

• Prevention or easing of migraine headaches.

 (And if you're well enough to drink any alcohol, it's also great for a hangover!)

My General Guidelines for those Recovering from M.E./CFS (or other chronic illness)

1)  Fill up the bath with warm hot water (you don't want it overly hot as this is likely to  exhaust you)

2) Add in just half a teaspoon. (Don't worry, you can work to up to 2-3 cupfuls over time) I would urge caution when increasing the Epsom Salt load dramatically, as your body is likely to be sensitive to changes in this fatigued state.  

3) Soak in the bath for 12 minutes. (I generally found longer than this and more severe symptoms would start showing themselves again) I wouldn't bathe more than twice a week with Epsom Salts, as too much of one thing can become a burden on the system. 


CAUTION - if you have negative reactions ie hyperactivity or irritability, decrease the amount you put you use. 
                 -  your body may feel a bit heavy the next day. That's good, it shows the sulfate has entered your muscles and softened a lot of tension being held there.
                 - if you feel a bath is too much for you right now, just start by adding Epsom Salts to hot water in a tub and just soak your feet in it.
                 - if you are pretty knackered before having a bath, give it a miss on that occasion, you don't want to make you body more tired than it already is.
                


Where to Buy

Amazon have a wide range of stockists, although the best quality I've found at a reasonable price is http://www.justasoap.co.uk. 



Hoping you're as well as you can be, wherever you are :-)


Adam x



   

'If we as a society are willing to have a preference for organic food, the farmer can pass on the savings.'

Before my health nose-dived at the end of 2009, I don't think I'd ever had organic food.  In fact, food as a whole didn't interest me in the slightest. It was simply a means to keep me going through my day.  Sometimes I didn't even bother with breakfast, or lunch..I just didn't believe there was enough time in the day for it.  My shopping list was this : microwaveable Iceland meals, rigorously sticking to my self-imposed £15 budget. Alcohol and nights out at Uni came first for me at that time. Toad in the Hole was a favourite of mine:

Little did I know how much my physical and mental performance was being hindered.  I suppose I learnt the hard way. I was grumpy and on edge in the mornings, and I'd get very sleepy around late afternoon.  My blood sugar was often low, meaning I'd usually go for the coca cola pick-me-up, or even a Red Bull.  I'd get a quick buzz, and then it would be back to feeling somewhat tired again and unfocused.  

It was only once I got diagnosed and referred to a Nutritionist who specialised in my condition, that I realised, firstly, how important a good balanced diet is in the function of a healthy human being (it's basically more important than everything except oxygen and water!), and secondly, the importance of keeping to as many clean fruits and vegetables as possible whilst in recovery.  Fast food went out of the window, and along with that, alcohol (most of the time!)  In through the window came good quality fruit, veg, and meat (as much organic as I could find!)  

Of course, the importance of diet is magnified when going through ME/CFS. To get better can often mean cutting out anything that could be a burden on your body i.e. gluten, wheat, sugar, dairy etc.  It's really tough, but it encourages you to get creative, make your stuff from scratch, and be as clean as possible with your food.  

It's not always possible to get organic, but if you prioritise what would be really helpful to your body in organic form, and what may not, it makes things much easier.  In today's mass consumer society, all our meat is pumped full of anti-biotics to stop them from getting sick. Remember, what goes into them, goes into you once you consume it. And people wonder why we're becoming immune to anti-biotics! The food the livestock consume is also low grade and usually full of pesticides. Again this goes into use and makes our bodies weaker as a result. As a rule of thumb, therefore, I go as organic as I possibly can with meat.  Vegetables aren't quite as important, as you can wash off the pesticides with water, a veggie brush, or veggie soap : http://bit.ly/1uxlLK5

Despite this, there are certain vegetables which are intensely sprayed with pesticides throughout the growth process, and are worth getting organic if possible.  They're known as the Dirty Dozen (diagram below). The Clean Fifteen signify those lowest in pesticide content. 

So...where to buy?

• OCADO - the best range of organic produce I'm aware of AND cheaper than Tesco!
• TESCO/SAINSBURY'S - both have a good quality organic fruit & vegetable range.
• ASDA - lower quality organic, but still organic and cheaper than most other supermarkets.
• WAITROSE - great selection but burns a hole in your wallet!
• PLANET ORGANIC - (if based in London) this is a great chain of purely organic supermarkets across London. Click here for details
• WHOLEFOODS - organic fruit, veg and snack market. Click here to see if there's one near you
• ABEL & COLE - explained in my Vlog below.... All organic fruit, veg, and great quality meat, at a fairly reasonable cost all delivered to your door. You even get a free fruit and veg box with every 4th order Click here for their website

Nutribullet - worth its weight in gold?

'What on earth is a Nutribullet?' That was the first question that came into my head when this fairly recent contraption was mentioned and recommended to me by a friend. The name itself makes it sound like it contains a round of live ammo.  


After being told about it, I checked out the adverts on Youtube, and to be honest, they were all really Americanised with quotes like, "You got all that from one orange???" and so on... Furthermore, the way it did what it did seemed too good to be true, and perhaps even staged. Oh wait, I haven't explained what this Nutribullet gadget is yet. Here goes....

'The NutriBullet is effectively a very powerful blender. It completely breaks down your food, liquefying and mixing together all the essential nutrition. It literally pulverises fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds, giving you all the nutrition.'

Sounds cool huh? But wait, there's a catch...most retailers price this product at £99.99, which let's be honest, is expensive for a blender.  However, given that Christmas was round the corner at the time of me discovering this, and the fact my juicer was on it's last legs/dead, I put it on the Christmas/Birthday wish-list. That's what I like about Christmas..if you don't like it, at least you didn't lose money over it, and if you can get your mitts on the receipt, you can swap it for something else! Anyway, I digress..

Once I got it home, I wasn't really sure how I'd fit what I'd normally juice into this fairly small blender on steroids.  So instead I just used about half the amount of fruit and veg I'd normally use (recipes at the bottom of this page).  

Taken From Here

I must say I was really impressed by the flavour and texture. It's a fair amount denser than a juice, but it has the huge advantage of keeping all the nutritional value, along with loads of fibre, which you don't get with a juice.  There was also a noticeable change in my energy levels and strength, which was a wee added bonus.  In addition to this, it's much easier to clean than any smoothie maker or juicer I've ever come across. Takes about 30 seconds. Simples...

There's no doubt it's the best blender out there, but as I mentioned earlier, it comes at a price!  On the flip side, it's cheaper than buying your smoothies and juices retail.  If this is something that interests you, feel free to comment in the box below. I'm always on the lookout for a good deal, so if one comes up for a Nutribullet, I'll post it up on my Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/adam.lomax.73)

Below I've listed a few tasty recipes you can try with Nutribullet, but which can easily be used in any juicer/blender/smoothie maker : 

Spiced Oatmeal Blast

Ingredients  :
1 Handful Kale
1 Ripe Banana
½ Cup Oats
½ Apples
1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil
2 Dates
1 Teaspoon Maca
½ Teaspoon Ceylon Cinnamon
¼ Teaspoon Nutmeg
To Max Line Almond Milk

Directions
Add all ingredients to your Tall Cup and extract for 30 seconds, or until smooth.

Orange Beet Blast

Ingredients :
1 Handful Kale
½ Beet
4 Chunks Pineapple
½ Orange
1 Teaspoon Coconut Oil
To Max Line Coconut Water

Directions
Add all solid ingredients into tall cup
Fill to MAX line with water/Coconut Water
Blend until smooth, approximately 30 seconds


Power Gulp

Ingredients : 
1 Handful Kale

1 Handful Green Grapes

1 Cucumber

1 Green Apple

Directions
Add all solid ingredients into tall cup
Fill to MAX line with water/Coconut Water
Blend until smooth, approximately 30 seconds



NOTE 1 : If you're interested in buying a Nutribullet, the best thing is to buy from source. In that way you know you're getting guaranteed quality and are likely to get some form of warranty for free. Here's the site : http://bit.ly/1xMm0LN

NOTE 2 : Give organic a chance, it really does make a difference, and it usually tastes better too.

Magnesium - the miracle mineral.

Magnesium is probably the most over-looked mineral of all, and perhaps the most important.  It's incredible that 80% of Americans are deficient in this (I couldn't get British figures unfortunately, but I suspect they are similar...)  Given how vital Magnesium is to our everyday function, the fact that around 80% of the population are deficient in it is indicative of the health crisis we are currently facing today in Western society.  After being constantly exposed to dangerous pesticides in our vegetables, anti-biotics which our meat is pumped full of to avoid infection, and the chronic stress we experience in our lives, this is perhaps no wonder... It also offers a partial explanation as to why we're becoming immune to anti-biotics.

Early signs of magnesium deficiency include loss of appetite, headache, nausea, fatigue, and weakness. An ongoing magnesium deficiency can lead to more serious symptoms, including:

Numbness and tingling	Muscle contractions and cramps	Seizures
Personality changes	Abnormal heart rhythms	Coronary spasms

In her book, The Magnesium Miracle, (a very easy-to-read book for the lay man) Dr. Dean lists 100 factors that will help you decide whether or not you might be deficient.

I had to have blood tests taken about a year ago at the clinic where I'm being treated for health reasons.  I was stunned to find how deficient in Magnesium I was....no wonder I had no energy! (At this point walking to the end of my road could be a struggle at times.)  In hindsight however, looking over the years I had abused my body with a very poor diet and high levels of stress (along with a potential genetic predisposition) this was perhaps no surprise.

Conditions linked to Magnesium deficiency include (but are not limited to) to following: 

Pain:
Headaches
Muscles Spasms/Cramps
Fibromyalgia
M.E./CFS

Mental Health & Sleep:
Anxiety
Depression
Autism and ADD
Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)
Insomnia
Tics

Other Conditions:
Psoriasis, Acne, & Eczema
Asthma
Blood Pressure
Diabetes
Osteoporosis

Below I'm going to list a series of reasons why magnesium is so crucial for good health.

Magnesium:

• Creating energy in your body by activating adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
• Is an important factor in muscle relaxation and heart health
• Allows nerves to send messages in the brain and nervous system
• Aids and regulates the body’s use of calcium and other minerals
• Assists in bone and teeth formation
• Regulates the metabolism of nutrients such as protein, nucleic acids, fats and carbohydrates
• Regulates cholesterol production and helps modulate insulin sensitivity
• Assists in energy production, DNA transcription and protein synthesis
• Maintains the structural health of cell membranes throughout the body

You can see here just how important this mineral is for our bodies, and how critical it is to our on-going health.  I didn't even know what magnesium was until 18 months ago..if I'd only have known what it was and it's importance sooner, I may have taken earlier action!

Magnesium is available in a wide variety of foods.  The following contain a high source of Magnesium :

Fish like mackerel, wild salmon, halibut, and tuna will add more magnesium to your menu

Avocado
Bananas
Chard (a green leafy vegetable - goes great in smoothies)
Nuts & Seeds - particularly pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cashews, and almonds
Dark Chocolate

You can also get Magnesium by supplementation - this is the one I use : 

What else can I try...? 

Epsom Salts Baths are a bit old fashioned, but it's an easy way of getting a Magnesium boost.  It will aid muscle relaxation and a general sense of calm. Try here if interested : http://bit.ly/1xX0AAv

Thanks for Reading, 


Adam

Our Emotional Brain

"When we direct our thoughts properly, we can control our emotions." W. Clement Stone - Businessman, Philanthropist & Author of Success System That Never Fails 



Hi all!

Today I'm going to delve deeper into our emotional brain and how it drives our behaviours and bodily feelings.  

Psychologists define emotions as a combination of cognitions, feelings and actions [source: Kalat]. Put simply, 'emotions' incorporate feelings, but also how we process and respond to those feelings.

This is possible because every time we have a thought, the brain produces a chemical, which travels down into the body.  Emotions are the effect of these chemical messages travelling through the body.  

If you are currently experiencing stress, anxiety or fear, you body is likely to contain high levels of adrenalin, cortisol, and Norepinephrine.  This is known as the 'Fight-or-Flight' response, and is great for if you need the body to "fight" or "flee" from perceived attack, harm or threat to our survival.  In this scenario, 'Fight-or-Flight' is useful.  However, chronic stress causes adrenalin, cortisol, and norepinephrine to run through your body constantly, which causes the de-regulation of cells, and our primitive bodies just aren't designed for this long-term.  Sit back for a second...Is your heart rate faster than usual? Are you breathing at a quicker rate than normal? Do you feel tense.  If so, this is effectively your brain telling your body that you are stressed or anxious, and your body is literally reflecting your mind!  

Don't worry, there's a flip side, and its important we adopt this for our health and wellbeing.  When experiencing happiness, joy, love, fulfilment, the list goes on...the brain releases chemicals into our body that have the complete opposite effect.  Dopamine  (known as the love chemical) is released, enabling the body to experience pleasure.  In other words, when you do something good, you're rewarded with dopamine and gain a pleasurable, happy feeling. This teaches your brain to want to do it again and again. Serotonin is also released, and is associated with memory and learning.  These positive emotions are critical in allowing the body to repair itself.  Next time you're feeling comfortable, or happy, take note of your pulse - does it feel more normal? does your body feel lighter? has your breathing rate normalised?

Well I hope you found this interesting,

Until next time, 

Adam