Posts Tagged 6

A. Tony Reid

Tony Reid provides health and fitness coaching to individuals and groups of …

Have you ever stopped to wonder who taught a monkey what to eat? I realize that you are here to learn about the benefits of potassium, bare with me a moment, I promise I will give you the answer. for now,, back to the monkey question, it will all make sense in a second…

I am willing to bet that you’ve never given it much thought because, admittedly, the question is quite ridiculous. Monkeys just seem to know what to eat. Through this mysterious force we call “instinct”, most animals exit the womb and just know exactly what to put in their mouths.

Although humans are more than animals, we do have instincts, like our monkey ancestors.

In recent years scientists have been trying to understand what man consumed when we didn’t have government agencies to tell us what to eat. During this time, approximately 50,000 to 100,000 years ago, Paleolithic man was comprised of hunters and gatherers who consumed a diet motivated by instinct. Then approximately 10,000 years ago began the Neolithic Revolution.

The Grand Mistake

During this new age of human development; we adopted more of an agriculture and animal husbandry practice. I imagine this is about the time when those nasty little creatures called “food scientists” came into existence. A “food scientist” is someone who thinks they can make food better, tastier, and more nutritious than nature.

Although the study of the Paleolithic lifestyle is quite complex, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what kinds of foods our ancestors consumed. It’s no surprise to see that most experts in the area of Paleolithic eating suspect that these people consumed primarily fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and some wild game. If you’re reading this list and feel that this is common sense, that “knowing” that you are experiencing is the remnant of your Paleolithic instinct.

Our abandonment of the Paleolithic way has resulted in a number of harmful and even life-threatening nutrient deficiencies…

Potassium Deficiency and the Benefits of Potassium

One nutrient that many scientists believe was much more abundant in our diet during Paleolithic times was potassium.

The Stone Age humans likely consume approximately 15 grams of potassium on a daily basis. Compare that to the recommended daily allowance of 4.7 grams per day. A ridiculously low level, I may add, that most of us never achieve.

In addition to a deficiency of potassium, the average American consumes a large excess of sodium. The sodium to potassium ratio is important for proper function of the body; when this ratio gets imbalanced the body suffers. Our Stone Age ancestors only consumed less than a gram of sodium (0.6 g) and it is estimated that the average American now consumes approximately 3.5 g of sodium and an embarrassing 2.8 g of potassium.

Why Should We Be Concerned With Our Sodium/Potassium Balance?

The balance of sodium and potassium is crucial for the function many cellular systems; some signs of potassium deficiency include:

1. Fatigue
2. Heart arrhythmias
3. Heart failure
4. Muscle weakness
5. Constipation
6. Delayed emptying of the stomach

Isn’t Potassium Dangerous?

Contrary to popular belief, potassium is a safe nutrient when taken properly. In healthy adults without heart or kidney problems, daily potassium intake should not exceed 8 grams.

If you suffer with kidney and/or heart disease, or you are on certain medications for blood pressure, potassium toxicity can occur at lower dose. For this latter group, ask your doctor before taking potassium supplements.

When supplementing with potassium, you must take into account how much potassium you are taking in through diet. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, fish, legumes are all good sources of potassium. It is possible to get sufficient potassium levels from your diet, however, it requires discipline and a hefty appetite for fruits and vegetables.

For the rest of us, supplementation may be required in order to achieve healthy potassium levels.

Who’s At Risk of Potassium Deficiency?

Before we get into the benefits of potassium, let’s talk about the risks of potassium deficiency.

It is important to realize that certain lifestyle habits, medications, and conditions can lead to an increased risk of potassium deficiency, these include:

1. The use of diuretics
2. Diarrhea or vomiting
3. Chronic dieting
4. Chronic kidney failure
5. Magnesium deficiency
6. Strenuous exercise

Keep these variables in mind when considering supplementation. See our Daily Potassium Requirements for Optimal Health for more information on supplementing with potassium.

What Are the Benefits of Potassium?

Potassium is essential for regulating fluid balance, acidity within the body, blood pressure, and muscle function. There are numerous outward benefits of supplementing with potassium, including:

1. Lowering blood pressure – An analysis of 33 published studies have demonstrated potassium supplementation to be of benefit in people who suffer with hypertension. The effective dose used in the research was 2,400 mg daily. (JAMA 1997;277:1624–32
2. Protection from Cardiac Arrhythmias – Studies show that people with low potassium levels are at a heightened risk of arrhythmia. Supplementation with 1,000 mg of potassium was shown to decrease the risk of arrhythmias in people who were prescribed a potassium-depleting blood pressure medication called hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ). (Int J Cardiol 1989;25:93–8)
3. Prolonged life and Improved Quality of life – One study demonstrated that men who consumed high levels of potassium had a longer life. More importantly, those with higher potassium intake enjoyed an improved quality of life. See the article: Potassium for a Longer and Healthier Life – Benefits of Potassium for Seniors
4. Improved energy – Electrolytes, such as potassium, can allow the body to manufacture needed energy. Potassium deficiency can cause physical and mental exhaustion.
5. End to muscle cramps and charlie horses – Potassium deficiency can promote muscle cramps, as can calcium or magnesium deficiency.

Some health experts claim that nutrient deficiencies are a thing of the past and supplementation is unnecessary in today’s day and age…they are dangerously mistaken!

In fact nutrient deficiencies are quite common, and such deficiencies are the direct cause of many health problems that result in hospitalization and even death.

One such nutritional deficiency is potassium and in today’s article, we will talk about the benefits of potassium supplementation as well as the daily potassium requirements for optimal health. Published research shows that potassium deficiency can be a direct or indirect cause of many health problems, including:

• Cardiac arrhythmias (irregular heart beat)
• High blood pressure
• Fatigue and muscle weakness
• Constipation

Benefits of Potassium

Potassium can be an important part of any supplement program. Studies have shown that potassium supplementation can result in significant decreases in blood pressure, improvements in constipation, decreases in cardiac arrhythmias, and improvement in fatigue and muscle weakness.

Daily Potassium Requirements

The majority of your potassium should come from your diet; supplementation should be used as a means of optimizing your dietary potassium intake. I recommend reading the article on the Benefits of Potassium for a discussion of dietary potassium from the perspective of our evolutionary history. Although the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of potassium is 4.7 grams (4700 mg), our Paleolithic ancestors consumed between 10-15 grams per day from fruits and vegetables!

For most healthy people, taking up to 1,000-2,000 mg of potassium daily in supplement form should be very safe (depending on diet). If you are on medications, such as loop diuretics or ACE Inhibitors, or suffer with heart or kidney disease, check with a health care provider prior to supplementing with potassium.

The Potassium Supplement That I Recommend

K+2 Potassium is a high potency potassium formula that provides 300 mg of potassium per capsule. In addition to providing 300 mg of potassium per capsule, this formula provides two impressive forms of potassium…

Potassium glycinate is a chelated form of potassium that mimics food sourced potassium in absorption and utilization.

Potassium bicarbonate provides a source of bicarbonate, which helps to alkalinize the body. This advanced combination makes this one of the most potent and powerful potassium supplements on the market. This form would be especially good for people who have bone loss and/or those who eat a high meat diet.

As an alternative, Potassium Amino Acid Complex by Your Prescription for Health is an inexpensive and high-quality form of chelated potassium. Each tablet provides 99 mg of potassium in a form that mimics potassium found in food. Potassium chelate by Your Prescription for Health is considered the most cost-effective form of potassium. The only negative to this potassium supplement is it is limited to 99 mg per tablet.

Summary:

As I mentioned in the article, Benefits of Potassium, we are designed to consume far more than the ridiculously low amounts suggested by the RDA. So if you are a healthy person, with normal kidney function and currently not taking any medications for blood pressure or heart problems, eat as much potassium as you can from fruit and vegetable sources. If you have difficulty getting large quantities of fruits and vegetables, try 4-6 capsules of K+2 Potassium by Designs for Health.

Author Mark Sisson
Primal Blueprint – 21 Day Total Body Transformation

Flu vaccine
Vitamin D
Influenzinum
NAC
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CMO
Krill oil and arthritis
Vitamin K
Flu shot
Fish oil
Selenium

You can feel better! You can decrease your pain, inflammation, and possibly even slow down the degeneration of your joints and you can do it all without medications!

I’d like to help liberate you from the pain and stiffness associated with arthritis.

I know that your doctor has probably told you that all they can do is prescribe nasty anti-inflammatories and wait until the day that the pain is so severe that you can’t take it any more…then they’ll sell you on surgery.

If you’re like me, you can’t imagine a future full of pain, stiffness, and surgeries that limits your ability to enjoy life. If you already have a lot of pain, I’ll bet it is difficult to enjoy everyday things like parties, family events, and cookouts because your attention is always divided between what is going on and the achy, throbbing pain of arthritis.

If you have relied on Tylenol and anti-inflammatories like Advil, Motrin, Aleve, ibuprofen, and aspirin to get by, well I have a message for you…

You can do better! You can feel better! You can decrease your pain, inflammation, and possibly even slow down the degeneration of your joints and you can do it all without medications!

The Four-Step Approach to Treating Arthritis

There are four steps to managing arthritis through a natural approach, they are:

Step 1: Decrease inflammation
Step 2: Lubricate the joint
Step 3: Provide the building blocks
Step 4: Stimulate repair

Let’s take each step and dive deeper…

Step 1: Decrease Inflammation

If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is, STOP DIGGING! Most people see inflammation as a nuisance; however, it is much more than that.  Inflammation actually promotes the erosion of the cartilage within the joint, which can worsen the arthritis over time.

Anti-inflammatory drugs can decrease the pain and stiffness associated with arthritis, However, they also can increase the production of an enzyme called lipooxygenase, which can irritate and damage the joint further.

Nature has provided many natural compounds with anti-inflammatory activity that can rival the prescription drugs without causing the same risk of side effects. Spices such as turmeric, ginger, rosemary and herbs such as holy basil, skullcap, and green tea can all act as potent anti-inflammatories.

To help control inflammation, I recommend a formula called Zyflamend by New Chapter. This formula provides a blend of herbal and spice extracts that work through multiple mechanisms to result in a balanced anti-inflammatory benefit. This formula has proven itself to be one of the most powerful herbal anti-inflammatory formulas on the market. The recommended dose is 2 capsules twice daily.

Aside from providing relief from much of the pain and stiffness associated with arthritis, the mechanisms by which this formula works may help to protect the joint from erosion.

Step 2: Lubricate the Joint

Now that we have the inflammation under control, the next step is to lubricate the joint to decrease the friction.

Within your joint, the cartilage is constantly being broken down and rebuilt. Arthritis happens when the joint gets broken down faster than the cells can rebuild the damaged area.

The lubricating material called hyaluronic acid has the same purpose of oil in your car. It keeps the pistons sliding across each other by decreasing the friction that would occur without the oil. When a car has an oil leak, the damage can be devastating. Likewise, if your joints don’t remain well oiled, you can develop stiffness, inflammation, and ultimately arthritis.

Besides the lubricating effect of hyaluronic acid, it also helps to carry nutrients to the cartilage. Because cartilage does not have a blood supply, it relies on the diffusion of nutrients from the lubricating fluid in the joint.

Over the last decade, nutrition scientists have been able to develop a hyaluronic acid supplement that is easily absorbed in the digestive tract. This has allowed for effective supplementation of this vital material.
The second step in building an effective natural arthritis program is to lubricate the joint by taking hyaluronic acid in supplement form.

The recommended dose is 100 mg once per day.

In addition, it is important to remain well hydrated. When you become even mildly dehydrated, your joints can dry up, which can lead to friction and joint degeneration.

Step 3: Provide the Building Blocks

Now that we have tackled inflammation and lubrication, we now need to provide the joint with the material it needs to repair damage and protect the cartilage itself. This is achieved by providing two compounds called: glucosamine and chondroitin. These two compounds have been used successfully for years to protect and repair the joint while improving the pain and stiffness associated with arthritis.

Glucosamine and chondroitin literally act like wood and nails to the cartilage. The body absorbs these compounds and transports them throughout the body with preference being given to the joints. Once the glucosamine and chondroitin arrive in the joints, the cartilage repair cells get to work rebuilding and rejuvenating the cartilage.

The recommended dose is 1500 mg of glucosamine along with 1200 mg of chondroitin per day. If you are overweight, you may want to increase the dose to 2000 mg of glucosamine sulfate along with 1600 mg of chondroitin sulfate.

Step 4: Stimulate the Repair

Now that you have decreased inflammation, lubricated the joint, and provided the building blocks, you need to tell the body that you need stronger joints. You achieve this by moving and exercising.

Most people with arthritis is afraid to exercise because the are afraid that they will worsen the arthritis. Unfortunately, by remaining immobile and sedentary you are literally stimulating the arthritis to get worse.

Exercise does three things:

1.    It brings lubrication to the joint. Have you ever notice that the arthritis pain is worse upon waking and gets a little better as the day goes on? This probably occurs because the movement promotes lubrication.
2.    Exercise, especially resistance training, stimulates the cartilage building cells to get to work. Research has shown that lifting weight causes these cells to activate and strengthen the cartilage.
3.    Exercise protects the joint by building a muscle girdle. The bones of a joint are surrounded by muscle, and muscle helps to stabilize the joint. By keeping the joint stabile you protect it from extra movement that can result in unwanted friction. As a muscle weakens, the joint begins to move in strange ways that can damage the cartilage and worsen the arthritis.

As you can see, arthritis can be improved significantly when you put the right steps into action. First control inflammation, next lubricate the joint, then provide the building blocks, and finally stimulate repair.

What Next?

To make it easy for you to get the most effective products for your arthritis program, we have put together all of the products that we use with our clients and patients here in our clinic. We call it the “Get Out of Pain Kit”. It includes:

1 Bottle of Zyflamend 120 Softgels (1 month supply)
1 Bottle of Hyaluronic Acid 60 Capsules (1 month supply)
1 Bottle of Glucosamine/Chondroitin (1 month supply)

If you order this kit, you get all three products for $67, which will save you $35.89 compared to the retail price.

Functional medicine
Colon issues
L-glutamine
LADA – latent autoimmune diabetes in adults
Bowel irregularity
Bursitis
PEMF

Opioids and constipation
Insulin Potentiation Therapy
Cramps
TENS/EMS
Chronic pain
Syndrome X
Truvia
NSAIDS